RAWALPINDI, Sept 5: Many Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) officials were found absent from duty in a surprise raid conducted by the Tehsil and district Nazimeen.

Later, these officials were issued show-cause notices.

District Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani paid a surprise visit to the TMA offices at 7:55am and got the outer gates closed. He later checked the attendance and found many officials absent.

The major cases of absenteeism were that of building branch, where all employees and officers were found absent and the reconciliation council whose offices were found locked.

Tehsil Nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz, while talking to this reporter, said: “We had earlier taken strict notice of absenteeism and late-comers and both me and Mr Kiani had jointly directed them to be punctual. We wanted to see if they had paid any heed to our directives.”

Later, while visiting the city areas, the district Nazim expressed resentment over the largescale encroachments and poor security arrangements, particularly in Pirwadhai area.

The Pirwadhai police station staff was called on the spot and ordered to identify the loopholes in the security arrangements and plug them effectively so that no subversive elements could benefit from it.

Mr Kiani also stressed on strengthening the surveillance and search system in the area, and more specifically at the bus stand.

He asked the TMA officials to immediately remove all encroachments that were creating traffic jams. Repair of Pirwadhai Road was also ordered.

He asked the project management unit officials accompanying him during the visit to repair the Workshop Road damaged due to laying of pipeline. Replacement of the stolen manhole covers was also ordered.