March 10, 2007	Saturday	Safar 20, 1428

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LAHORE, March 9: Deputy opposition leader Rana Sanaullah castigated the government for what he said rampant corruption in different departments after Local Government Minister Raja Basharat admitted in the Punjab Assembly on Friday that no action had been taken against a former union council nazim and a sitting town nazim of Lahore for their alleged corruption and misconduct.

Rana’s criticism prompted Raja Basharat, representing the government during the question hour, to launch a counter offensive by saying that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had established a mill in Saudi Arabia with money stolen from Pakistan.

The exchange of allegations began when the minister was replying to a question by MMA’s Ehsanullah Waqas who wanted to know the number of seats lying vacant in Lahore’s towns and union councils and action, if any, taken against the city’s past nazims and naib nazims found guilty of corruption.

The minister said at present only one seat was lying vacant in a union council in Lahore. He said a reference seeking disqualification of former UC-130 nazim Tariq Chaudhry had been sent to the election commission.

On a query by MMA’s Arshad Baggu, Raja said no case was registered against the nazim because he lost his seat as a result of local government elections held in 2005.

Rana Sanaullah remainded the minister that he had assured the house during the last session that action would be taken against Samanabad Town Nazim Javaid Ali.

The minister said an inquiry against Javaid Ali had been initiated and the local government department had been asked to submit a report within 15 days.

He said the commission was bound to complete inquiry against any local government member within 90 days but this time limit could also be extended.

Rana said under the rules the time limit could not be extended, asking why the government had not proceeded against the union council nazim. “Action can be taken against a person who is alive even after he loses his seat,” he said, asking whether the union nazim has died?

Baggu said the nazim was alive and was re-elected, requesting Speaker Afzal Sahi to pend the question to enable the minister get an updated answer.

Ehsanullah Waqas alleged that the nazim was known for his corruption. He was depositing union council funds with his personal account. He got constructed a bridge over a drain six months ago which collapsed a few days after its completion, he alleged.

This was the point when Rana Sanaullah started firing volleys of allegations against the government.

He said the country had been plundered and institutions destroyed but they (the government) were saying that you (the opposition) were wrong. They were boasting of good governance but had failed to proceed against their own nazim even after the establishment of corruption charges against him.

Replying to a supplementary query, asked by Mr Waqas (relating to a main question by treasury member Malik Javaid Iqbal Awan), Raja said he would check whether Khushab Nazim got stolen an official vehicle and later managed withdrawal of a related case.

He said a vehicle being used by Khushab naib nazim without the permission by the nazim had been withdrawn.

Mr Javaid Iqbal said the naib nazim did not misuse the vehicle and he was being accused of it without any justification. He faced an immediate embarrassment when a treasury member said that Mr Awan was himself using a vehicle of the assistant director, local government, Khushab, without any justification and was not returning it to the office despite requests.

Raja Basharat said there were no rules to provide police escort to nazims. Some of them were enjoying the facility under local arrangements.

The point was raised by Mr Baggu and Rana Sanaullah, mentioning the provision of two police escorts to district nazims of Sialkot and Faisalabad.

Raja said police escort had also been given to common people facing threats of terrorism.

PML-N’s Sheikh Ejaz said the president had announced special funds for his home district but the government was offering them to the opposition members on the condition that they would have to join the ruling party.

The law minister said district governments’ funds should be issued to everyone without any discrimination. “But special funds should obviously be released to our own men.” —Intikhab Hanif