March 17, 2003	Monday	Muharram 13, 1424

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RAWALPINDI, March 16: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) has allegedly withheld the development and welfare funds of some members for not supporting the relatives of the Tehsil Nazim in the October general elections, it has been learnt.

Some of the public representatives told Dawn that the Nazim had pressurized all the members to vote for his two cousins who were contesting the national and provincial assembly seats from their home constituency, Damiyal.

Fearing retaliatory action, some of the members kept their political affiliation secret from the Nazim. Three women councillors, however, openly supported the candidates of their choice, the representatives said.

The councillors — Tahira Shaukat, Sajida Abbasi and Yasmin Tahir — complained that they were facing discrimination and that their development and welfare funds had been withheld.

Tahira Shaukat and Yasmin Tahir mustered support for Sheikh Rashid Ahmed whereas Sajida Abbasi campaigned for Pakistan Awami Tehrik.

As many as 373 sewing machines were bought from the Tehsil funds allocated for the welfare of women in the last TMA’s budget. These were to be equally distributed among the 25 women councillors of the Tehsil council. But, the three women councillors allege that their share of sewing machines has so far not been given to them despite the passage of several months.

Similarly, a unanimous resolution was passed by the Tehsil council that every member would be provided bulbs and other accessories for electrification of streets.

The three councillors alleged that some of the members were given as many as 80 electric lamps and 40 rods for street lighting, whereas they were denied the equipment.

They claimed that similar discrimination was also being meted out to them in the release of funds for the pavement of streets and construction of roads. They warned that they would resort to extreme step if their share was not released.

“We are in contact with the Tehsil Nazim to get our share of sewing machines released. We want the matter to be resolved cordially. If our protest is ignored, we will take an extreme step,” Tahira Shaukat said.

She claimed that it was she who presented the resolution regarding the sewing machines in the Tehsil council.

The Tehsil Nazim, however, has denied these charges. He claimed that the three councillors had demanded that they be given more machines than the other women members. He said the three councillors were politicizing the issue just to cover up their fault.