Fifth province: Tehsil council adopts resolution against WASA chief

Accuses chairman of bias, demands his immediate removal

ABBOTTABAD: In a rare show of unity, the Abbottabad Tehsil Council adopted a unanimous resolution demanding a criminal case against the Wasa chairman for spreading linguistic hatred and ignoring residents of Abbottabad in the hiring process at the utility.

The tehsil council convened a meeting presided over by Sardar Shujah Ahmed and attended by majority members from both the treasury and opposition benches.

The resolution, moved by Haji Sultan Khan, condemned the remarks of Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Chairman Shahid Janjua, who asked the Tehsil nazim to get Hazara upgraded to provincial status first before demanding job quotas for residents of Abbottabad in Wasa.

The mover, through his resolution, accused the Wasa chairman of holding ethnic and linguistic bias and demanded that he be removed from service and be booked in a criminal case. The mover also demanded that all hiring for Wasa Abbottabad, should be made from Abbottabad. The house unanimously approved the resolution.

Through the second resolution, presented by Hanif Abbasi and Jabrial Abbasi, the council also unanimously demanded the creation of a Hazara province on administrative grounds, adding that since Hazara was the largest division in terms of revenue generation capacity, population, and land area.

The third resolution was regarding the cancellation of hiring of non-local people in Hazara University, Abbottabad University of Science and Technology, Galiyat Development Authority and Rescue 1122. It was also approved unanimously.

The session was then prorogued for an indefinite period.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2016.