The writer is a member of staff.
EIDUL Fitr is just around the corner with the month of Ramazan heading towards its final week. It is during this period that most Muslims throughout the world tend to give zakat, sadqaat (charity) and donations to the less fortunate in society.
Despite all its problems, one of the more redeemable aspects of Pakistani society is that people here tend to be very charitable. As the state has mostly abdicated its responsibility in various spheres, citizens often go out of their way to help others, creating a social safety net of sorts. Much of this can be attributed to the Islamic emphasis on charity and Ihsan (roughly translated as excellence, or striving to go the extra mile to help others).