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BALOCHISTAN ZAKAT AND USHR BALOCHISTAN ZAKAT AND USHR ACT, 2012 An Act to make provisions relating to the assessment, collection and disbursement of Zakat and Ushr [Gazette of Balochistan, Extraordinary, 27th March, 2012] No.PAB/Legis:V(01)/2012, dated 27-3-2012.---Having been passed the Balochistan Zakat and Ushr Bill No.1 of 2012, by the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan on 20th March, 2012 and assented to by the Governor, Balochistan on 22nd March, 2012 is hereby published as an Act of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly. Preamble.--Whereas it is necessary to make provisions relating to the assessment, collection and disbursement of Zakat and Ushr and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. And whereas Zakat, including Ushr, is one of the fundamental pillars (Arkan) of Islam; and prime objective of the collection of Zakat and Ushr, and disbursements therefrom, is to assist the needy, the indigent and the poor; And whereas the rates of Zakat and Ushr, as also the purposes for the utilization of Zakat and Ushr, are specified in Shariah; and And whereas Shariah enjoins all Muslims who are Sahib-e-Nisab to pay, and the State to arrange for the proper collection, disbursement and utilization of Zakat and Ushr, and also allows such Muslims to disburse for the purposes authorized by Shariah the part thereof not collected by the State; It is hereby enacted as follows:-- CHAPTER-IV ZAKAT FUNDS 14. District Zakat and Ushr Committee.--(1) In each District, a District Zakat and Ushr Committee shall be constituted by the Provincial Council. (2) The District Committee shall, subject to such guidelines as may be given by the Provincial Council-- (a) Oversee, generally, the functioning of administrative organization of Zakat and, more particularly, the assessment of Ushr and Atiyyat and the disbursement and utilization of the moneys in the District Zakat Fund and the Local Zakat Fund; (b) For the purposes mentioned in clause (a), make plans for the District, in such form and manner as may be prescribed; (c) Prepare and maintain accounts of the District Zakat Fund in such form and manner as may be prescribed; (d) Compile accounts of the Local Zakat Fund, for the district, in such form and manner as may be prescribed; and (e) Arrange, in the prescribed manner, audit of the Local Zakat Funds in the District; (3) The District Committee shall consist of - (a) A Chairman, who shall be a non-official, person, the Deputy Commissioner of the district and two women from within the district who shall not be less than forty-five years of age and one non-official member from each Tehsil, Taluqa or sub-division in the district: Provided that, where the number of Tehsils, Talukas or sub-divisions in a District is less than five, the number of members other than the Chairman and the women members shall be raised to seven: Provided further that, in any District where there is a District Social Welfare Officer appointed by the Government, the District Committee may co-opt him as a member of the Committee, ex-officio; (b) The District Zakat Officer, who shall also be the Secretary of the Committee. (4) The Chairman shall be nominated by the Government in consultation with the Provincial Council and the members shall be nominated by the Provincial Council in consultation with the Chairman: Provided that the Chairman District Zakat Committee shall be a person who possess Secondary School Certificate or equalent qualification and of high moral character not commonly known person who violate Islamic Injunctions, is of financial integrity and do not engage in political activities: Provided further that members of the district committee shall be the person who are of good moral character, are not commonly known as person who violate Islamic injunction, are of financial integrity and do not engage in political activities. (5) The District Committee so constituted shall be duly notified by the Provincial Council. (6) The Chairman and members of the District Committee, not being an ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of three years: Provided that in the event of delay in the constitution of the new Committee under subsection (3), the Provincial Council may ask a District Committee to continue to function for a period not exceeding six months after the expiry of the term of its office. (7) The Chairman or a member, not being an ex-officio member may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Provincial Council, resign his office. (8) Subject to subsection (7), the Chairman or, as the case may be, a member shall continue to hold office until his resignation is accepted by the Provincial Council. (9) Any vacancy in the office of Chairman or member, other than an ex-officio member, shall be filled by the nomination in accordance with subsection (4) of a person qualified to hold the office. (10) The Chairman or member nominated under subsection (9) shall hold office for the unexpired term of his predecessor. (11) The District Committee shall hold meetings of the Committee at least once in every three months.