May 29, 2005	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 20, 1426

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HARIPUR, May 28: The district council on Saturday called for an inquiry against all local government representatives, including the district nazim, before the upcoming local government elections. The call was made during Saturday’s session of the district council which was presided over by its convener Riaz Khan Jadoon.

Speaking on a point of order, Sardar Saleem Khan, nazim union council Tarbela, said that corruption was rampant in the local government system and that contractors and the district nazim had allegedly embezzled millions.

He said that Tarbela dam affectees had been allocated a sum of Rs18.6 million out of the total compensation for the roads of Khalabat Township but the quality of construction of roads was abysmally poor. He alleged that the district nazim had paid Rs1.3 million to the contractor, even though the actual contract was worth only Rs700,000.

He also accused the district coordination officer Haripur of corruption.

Sardar Saleem was supported in his contentions by Ahsan Hayat, Khalabat union council nazim, who also demanded accountability of all the union nazims, including the district nazim, before the upcoming LB elections.

Hamid Shah, nazim union council Sirikot, observed that a major part of Haripur was in the grip of a severe water shortage and that halqa patwaris were not to be found in their offices.

He claimed that government servants were not listening to nazims who for their part were engaged in pursuing their personal objectives.

Earlier, the house boycotted the session for five minutes in a gesture of protest against the suicide attack on pilgrims of Bari Imam and the desecration of the Holy Quran at Guantanamo Bay by US military personnel.

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