May 12, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1428

KASUR, May 11: District Nazim Rana Muhammad Hayat, a government representative with the opposition (ARD) support, has set his face against top bosses and directed all those under his command to be present at their offices instead of the president’s public rally today (Saturday).

The clash of interests has landed the government officials between the devil and the deep sea as they are not sure what to do in the situation. Listen to the nazim or oblige the DCO and his associates? They are in jeopardy.

The district coordination officer had through EDOs and DOs asked the government servants at various meetings he had called during the last three days to join the much-trumpeted caravan to Islamabad for which they should reach their offices by Friday evening.

The nazim, on the other hand, has tried to convince the government officials not to make way for Islamabad to attend the rally. He has reportedly constituted 10 committees to check the attendance of the officials at different offices on Saturday and warned of action against those found absent.

The nazim has also said there will be no holiday in any school and directed the EDOs to ensure complete attendance of the employees.

A TMA official, requesting anonymity, told Dawn that the Kasur tehsil nazim, who had recently joined the ruling PML, had sought help from naib nazims of the opposition parties to help him achieve the target of filling 50 buses.

It is learnt that the naib nazims (of the opposition) have decided to oblige the tehsil nazim on the condition that they themselves will not accompany the caravan.

In the last two days, massive seizure of public transport created problems for the commuters and very few buses plying on the routes reportedly charged at least double the actual fares.