NAWABSHAH, Jan 29: Hundreds of poor patients of the People's Medical College Hospital are suffering due to non-availability of Zakat funds. A cheque dated Jan 1, 2004 for Rs17.5 million was issued by the central Zakat council in favour of medical superintendent PMCH/convener health welfare committee.

The MS said a joint account was maintained at the Muslim Commercial Bank Chakra Bazaar but due to audit objections, the account was transferred to the United Bank Limited and the cheque was deposited there.

He said the chairman Zakat and Ushr Nawabshah was not signing the joint account opened at the UBL even after several reminders and was insisting to continue the MCB account.

He said he was convenor health welfare committee and chairman Zakat was a member but due to his lack of interest in signing account, patients were suffering.

Chairman, Zakat and Ushr Prof Mohammad Ahmed said the MS Dr Nisar Shaikh had deposited the Zakat cheque of Rs17.5 million in his personal account (3582) UBL Masjid road. The UBL manager Abdullah Mallah said the account was joint but one member had not signed it.

KILLED: A man, Haji Piyaro Brohi, was killed by thieves in Rasool Bux Jamali village Deh 57 Nusrat when he offered resistance to them on Thursday.

SUICIDE: A boy, Imran Ahmed, 18, committed suicide due to family dispute by shooting himself in Deh 28 near Nawabshah on Thursday.