GUJRANWALA, July 12: The government has provided 33 per cent funds to NGOs from the Baitul Maal funds. This was stated by provincial Baitul Maal Minister Ijaz Shafi while speaking at a meeting here on Monday.

He said in addition the widows had been provided 20 per cent Baitul Maal funds, the destitute 10 per cent, deserving students for scholarship 20 per cent, dowry for deserving girls six per cent, the poor patients eight per cent and official routine work three per cent.

The minister pointed out that Rs21.8 million had been granted to NGOs from the district Baitul Maal funds for the last 13 years. He also visited various private hospitals in the city and lauded the efforts of their managements for providing facilities to the patients by their own resources.

The government would ensure the financial support to welfare institutes which were playing an important role for the uplift of the masses, he added.

FIA: The Federal Investigation Agency has set up its police station and inducted the staff here on Monday. Owing to the absence of FIA police station in the city, the people had to go to Lahore for the registration of their cases.

The interior ministry had given an approval for the establishment of the FIA office and police station here and inducted a magistrate, an FIA assistant director and an SHO.

The newly-inducted officers have resumed their offices and started performing official work. Now the police will take remand of the accused involved in human smuggling or cheating from a local FIA court.