Protest against ‘corruption’ in TMA

Malik Abdul Sattar, a former councillor, said the police demanded bribes from citizens to solve their problems.

FAISALABAD:

Office-bearers and workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday staged a protest demonstration against what they termed was massive corruption in the Sammundri Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA).

During a meeting at Sammundri TMA Hall, some PML-N workers accused TMA officials of embezzling funds at the behest of National Assembly Member (MNA) Shehbaz Babar and Punjab Assembly member (MPA) Rao Kashif. They later staged a demonstration protesting against the authorities for not taking action against alleged corruption.

Rana Arif Javaid, a former nazim, said funds reserved for sanitation and development projects had been embezzled.

Malik Abdul Sattar, a former councillor, said the police also demanded bribes from citizens to solve their problems. Babar and Kashif denied the allegations. “We initiated a number of development projects last year. Many of these projects have been executed and the remaining ones are near completion,” Babar told The Express Tribune. “Some elements are conspiring against us… they will fail in their designs,” he said. Kashif said he had been working hard for the welfare of people. “People have confidence in us because of our development work.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2014.