SWABI, March 23 The district zakat office would distribute dowry fund among deserving girls from next month, sources said on Monday.

The sources said that 56 girls had been selected for the purpose, adding dowry fund would be distributed every after six months. The sources, however, admitted that it was not an easy task to finalise the names of genuine applicants because thousands of applications had been received by the department.

A district zakat committee has been constituted to deal with the applications received by various committees formed at regional level.

The sources said while the government claimed that genuine applicants had been selected for the purpose but opposition parties alleged that importance was given to those affiliated with the ruling Awami National Party.

“The ANP district leaders have the authority to determine names and the poor families could hardly get the dowry,” claimed a Jamaat-i-Islami leader. “We knew about the whole process that how the names of the applicants were finalised”.

When contacted district zakat chairman, Javid Khan told this scribe that the allegation was unfounded, saying that their record remained open for checking if anybody desired so.