Punjab Zakat & Ushr Department Launches Scheme to Pay Fines for Prisoners

The Punjab Zakat and Ushr Department has launched a new initiative aimed at securing the release of prisoners incarcerated solely due to unpaid fines. Under the scheme, fines will now be paid using Zakat funds, enabling the release of financially distressed inmates.

Initially, the scheme has been introduced across 10 divisions in Punjab. A formal notification has been sent to the Inspector General of Prisons, detailing the rollout plan.

According to the department, the scheme covers Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Sargodha, as well as Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Dera Ghazi Khan.

A total of PKR 50 million has been allocated for this purpose, with PKR 5 million assigned to each district. The funds will be used following consultation between the respective jail superintendents and local Zakat committees.

The department has also issued clear guidelines and procedures for the implementation of the prisoner release process.