DLP Report
PESHAWAR
An important meeting of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s Standing Committee No. 24 on Zakat, Ushr, Social Welfare, Special Education and Women Empowerment was held on Wednesday at the Directorate of Social Welfare, Peshawar. The meeting was chaired by Committee Chairman Zubair Khan.
The meeting was attended by Members of the Provincial Assembly Nilofar Babar and Subia Shahid. Senior officials from the Zakat and Ushr Department, Social Welfare Department, Al-Sael wal Mahroom Foundation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women, Zamung Kor, Directorate of Social Welfare (Settled Areas), Directorate of Social Welfare (Merged Areas), Child Welfare Commission, Agriculture Department, Finance Department, KP IT Board, Board of Revenue, and representatives of Shaikh Zayed Islamic Centre University were also present.
During the meeting, a detailed review was conducted on the implementation of committee directives issued in Para 17 of the minutes of the meeting held on December 31, 2025, which pertained to Ushr. The performance of the concerned departments, key challenges, and future strategies were also discussed.
Officials briefed the committee on the concept of Ushr, stating that the system was formally introduced in the Muslim world after the Conquest of Makkah. Historically, Ushr was levied on agricultural produce including crops, orchards, fodder, and honey, serving as a significant source of state revenue. The committee also discussed modern interpretations of Ushr, particularly its application in the industrial sector. It was further informed that during the Seljuk era, taxation under the principle of Masalih al-Mursalah was practiced.
Speaking on the occasion, committee member Nilofar Babar stated that until 1970, the financial system of Chitral was largely managed through the Ushr mechanism. Committee Chairman Zubair Khan emphasized that the objective of policy formulation within legislative forums is to enable relevant departments to become financially self-reliant. He stressed that revenue generated through Ushr should be utilized to strengthen institutions and effectively manage financial affairs.
The committee chairman urged the Agriculture Department to provide credible and comprehensive data regarding crop production to facilitate the implementation of Ushr at the provincial level. A proposal to establish a sub-committee to include orchards within the Ushr mechanism was also presented.
The meeting highlighted the need to digitize the Ushr system and implement it at the provincial level, declaring the role of the KP IT Board essential in this regard. Emphasis was also placed on effective public awareness campaigns and communication strategies to promote understanding of the Ushr system. The committee stressed the importance of reviewing models adopted by other provinces while formulating the future course of action.
The committee further underlined the need for effective Zakat and Ushr measures to support low-income and deserving segments of society. The availability of accurate and comprehensive data for departmental planning was declared essential, with the KP IT Board assuring full cooperation in this regard.
At the conclusion of the meeting, officials provided detailed briefings on statutory social welfare bodies, including the Provincial Council for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, Provincial Council of Social Welfare, Senior Citizens Council, Zamung Kor (Institute of State Children), Child Protection and Welfare Commission, Provincial Commission on the Status of Women, and Al-Sael wal Mahroom Foundation.
