CJP Questions about Zakat department spending amid COVID-19

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed asked about the details about the spending of the Zakat department during a hearing of the suo motu case regarding the coronavirus crisis.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court — headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed — is hearing the suo motu case. Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed are also on the bench.

In the hearing held today, the Attorney-General of Pakistan, Khalid Javed, told court that the National Disaster Management Authority and the health department had submitted separate responses to court over the measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus.

“The Zakat department has not submitted a response,” CJP Ahmed observed. “The queries of the court with regards to the matters of the Zakat department replied to only with references to certain laws,” he added.

“The federal government gives the Zakat fund to the provinces. The provincial authorities are responsible for distributing the funds. A big chunk of the fund spent on administrative matters,” he added.

‘Five hotels in Islamabad turned into quarantine centres’

“Five hotels in Islamabad turned into quarantine centres. Free virus services are being provided at Haji Camp and Pak-China Centre,” Secretary Health Tanweer Qureshi told the court during the hearing.

“Ensure the availability of food and other essential services at the quarantine centres around the country,” CJP Ahmed told the government officials present in the courtroom.

“The Taftan quarantine centre was a big nightmare. The government seems to spending money, but it is not immediately clear where the money is being spent,” CJP Gulzar Ahmed noted.