ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s top religious body comes up with good idea to combatthe economic slowdown after coronavirus outbreak.
Pakistan’s top religious authority on Friday called for the earlydistribution of Zakat — an obligatory annual charity in Islam — tosupport those with low incomes who are most vulnerable to an imminenteconomic slowdown due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
The Council of Islamic Ideology, a religious advisory body for thecountry’s parliament, urged the rich to give their zakat, which accountsfor 2.5% of the total yearly savings in the form of cash, gold or silver,earlier than usual.
Zakat is traditionally given in the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan whichwill begin this year in the last week of April.
“In view of the present situation, it is better to distribute zakat earlierthan usual,” the statement said.
The call coincided with two more deaths from the novel coronavirus onFriday, raising the total number in the country to four.
Pakistan is at risk of facing a major economic crunch due to the globaloutbreak, having suspended travel with Europe and the U.S. — the buyers of70% of the country’s exports.
Read Top Stories
Though authorities have ordered the closure of major markets, shoppingmalls and other public areas, many who subsist on daily income have notcomplied.
The number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan rose to 454 on Friday, with 245in the southern province of Sindh alone.
Health officials said new cases were also reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwaand the northeastern Punjab province.
Most of the new patients had recently returned from neighboring Iran, whichhas reported the highest number of cases after China and Italy.
