November 7, 2002	Thursday	Ramazan 1,1423

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RAWALPINDI, Nov 6: Tehsil council session was again marred by hullabaloo and accusations against the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) officials for bypassing the elected members while making important decisions.

The council members accused the officials of trying to keep the members in the dark about the affairs of the Tehsil.

With the start of the session, the secretary presented before the house the lighting tax contract for approval.

Heated debate ensued when the session was informed that the contract also included the previous year arrears.

Some of the TMA officials said the advertisement for auction of the contract included mention of arrears whereas others said they were not sure about the issue.

On this, the members lashed out at the TMA officials for wilfully creating confusion, which they apprehend could pave way for corruption and embezzlement.

When the members pressed for showing the advertisement, the TMA officials failed to produce it.

Meanwhile, the Tehsil Nazim tried to pacify the members but they also hurled accusations at him for siding with the officials.

The speaker of the Tehsil council formed a committee to probe the issue.

Unruly scenes were also witnessed when the Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO), Col Najamul Hasan (retired), said he had the discretion to auction any contract without the approval of the house.

A large number of members spoke against the TMO and blamed him for bypassing the people’s representatives.

“If the TMO has the discretion to take all decisions by himself, then what is the purpose of our coming and sitting in the house,” a Naib Nazim, Abdul Malik Abbasi, said.

The situation worsened when the house was informed that transfer of property tax contract was auctioned out at Rs25.7 million by the TMO about three months back and now it was presented to the house for approval.

Another Naib Nazim, Sajjid Rehman, accused the TMA officials of corruption and irregularities under the patronage of the TMO.

A resolution, put before the house for renting out the municipal complex for Rs350,000 per month, was also rejected by the members.

It is pertinent to mention here that members of the Tehsil council had asked for the provision of offices at the complex but the proposal was not materialized, as the TMO said some irregularities were committed during the construction of the building, which were being investigated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). At this, the speaker said there was no law which prohibited the use of any building about which an inquiry was under way.

The members asked the TMO to show the proof about the investigation by the NAB but the officer failed to produce one.

Those who spoke on the issue included Sajjid Rehman (UC-106), Raja Hafeez (UC-4), Dr Shafqat (UC-5), Raja Mehmood Akhtar (UC- 3), and Chaudhry Malik Dad (UC-88).

They told the house that the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Rawalpindi, had offered Rs350,000 as rent for the building about three years back but the offer was rejected.

What was the reason behind not giving it three years back which incurred a loss of millions of rupees to the exchequer, they questioned.

The speaker constituted another committee to investigate the matter.

Later on, the members got furious for being insulted by the TMA officials and were about to walk out but the speaker adjourned the council session.