April 3, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 30, 1424

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RAWALPINDI, April 2: About a hundred people staged a demonstration on Wednesday against the poor civic services being provided by the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA).

The demonstration, which was led by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA Mohammad Hanif Abbasi, was held in front of the TMA office.

The protesters raised slogans against the Tehsil Nazim, whom they accused of failing to ensure cleanliness, provide drinking water and remove encroachment. They said the sewerage system was in a shambles and garbage was lying on the roads and streets. They demanded that the Tehsil municipal officer, who had been transferred, be recalled.

Mr Abbasi accused the Tehsil Nazim of starting development works and providing civic amenities to his own constituency.

“He is the Nazim of the whole Tehsil and not only of his union council,” the MNA said.

In the meantime, the district Nazim, Raja Tariq Kiani, arrived at the scene and assured the protesters that their problems would be solved.

Sources, however, alleged that the protest had been staged at the behest of the district Nazim. There are strong differences between the district Nazim and Tehsil Nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz, who has the backing of his cousin, MPA Raja Basharat.

The sources said Mr Kiani, along with some army officers, was trying to bring back the recently-transferred Tehsil municipal officer. It is said Raja Basharat was behind his transfer.

When this reporter contacted the Tehsil Nazim for his comments, he was informed that Mr Nawaz was in Lahore.

However, the convener, when contacted, supported the Tehsil Nazim and said he was an honest man. The previous TMO had not accepted the devolution plan, therefore, all members were against him, he added. The house had passed several resolutions for his transfer.

The convener claimed that the TMO had inflicted a loss of millions of rupees to the Tehsil, and thanked the Punjab government for transferring him.

To a question, he said transfer and posting was part of government job. It is a Tehsil matter and neither the district Nazim nor the MNA can interfere in our affairs, he said. They have many other things to do at their own level, he added.