RAWALPINDI, April 29: Auditors from the office of Director Local Audit Fund have been demanding and taking bribe from the union council administrations, the district council was informed during its session held here on Tuesday.

Council member Mir Bakhtiar, while speaking on a point of order, told the council that a two-member team demanded Rs10,000 as bribe from him for clearing his accounts.

He said he refused to oblige them as he had honestly spent each penny of the fund available with him. However, the team refused to accept his plea and pressurized him to pay the amount, he added.

Another member Shafqat Munir informed the House that he, too, was asked for Rs5,000 by the same team. The auditors were allegedly paid this amount through the secretary of the union council.

Later, several other members disclosed that they, too, had either been asked for bribe, or they paid amounts ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs10,000 to the auditors to get the accounts audited.

Some of the members said the auditors’ job was to point out the mistakes so that financial discipline at the grassroots level could be strengthened rather than getting bribe for covering up deficiencies.

Members, who were shouting ‘shame’, ‘shame’, demanded dismissal of the accused.

Convener Raja Javed Ikhlas, in his ruling on the issue, referred the matter to the Finance and Planning Committee of the district council for holding an inquiry within seven days.

Members wanted immediate action. However, Mr Ikhlas pacified them, saying the required regulations would have to be followed in any case.

The other major issue discussed at the session was the collapse of Bano Arcade.

Mian Imran Hayat asked the district government to prepare a contingency plan for dealing with such eventualities. He called for holding Civil Defence training at the union council level.

He also called for enhancing the compensation announced by the government for the deceased and the injured, saying the victims were very poor and required further assistance.

Mr Hayat asked the district government to give compensation to the owners of the adjoining residential buildings damaged in the incident. This, he said, could be done by exempting them from commercialization fees. The council, through a unanimous resolution, thanked all the volunteers and rescue teams. It was decided that the council secretariat would individually write to all volunteers, appreciating their services.

The council approved a resolution moved by Abid Abbassi for awarding gold medal to the UC Nazim of the affected area, Mian Imran Hayat, for his services in the rescue operation.