Land record employees protest

Anti-graft watchdog issues pictures of the arrested accused

LAHORE: Over 1,000 officials and officers of Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) on Friday staged a protest demonstration against what they termed ‘humiliation and mishandling’ by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).

The protest was called out after an incident of arrest by ACE of an in-charge of a land record centre and an assistant director Land record officer. The anti-graft watchdog had issued pictures of the arrested accused. In the pictures, the accused were seen as they were humiliated and manhandled by the staff of ACE.



A protester while talking to The Express Tribune said ACE had acted in violation of laws and rules. He said they were officers and manhandling, humiliation and releasing the pictures in this manner was nothing adding insult to injury. “Anyone who is found involved in corruption should be arrested after following the due procedure of law and the law did not allow humiliation, manhandling and the release of the picture,” he remarked.

The protesters also demanded that their jobs should be regularised. Another officer said many of them were working with the authority for the last seven to eight years but still working on contractual basis.

The protesters also demanded raise in salaries and payment of arrears. A delegation of PLRA, comprising Chief Finance Officer Kamran Hafeez along with two directors, visited the protesters but they could not reach an agreement.

The protest continued till the filing of this report. The protesters said they would not leave until their demands were met.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2018.