SHEIKHUPURA, March 14: As many as 100 members of the district council have passed a resolution to suspend District Nazim Mian Jalil Ahmed Sharqpuri’s powers in financial and administrative matters under Section 24 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

District Naib Nazim Malik Rehmat Ali Dogar, who is also convener of the house, had called a house meeting on a requisition to enhance TA/DA of woman councillors.

When the meeting started on Thursday, union council 69 nazim Abdul Khaliq Virk asked the convenor to grant permission to offer fateha for Benazir Bhutto.

Soon after fateha, union council 67 nazim Mian Liaqat moved a resolution in the house, urging the convener to suspend the powers of district nazim. The other members of the house abruptly started sloganeering against the district nazim, accusing him of financial embezzlements.

Later, the convener of the house postponed the meeting for 30 minutes. When the house resumed its session, Dogar asked the members to vote for or against the resolution moved by Liaqat.

Over 100 members were present in the house and almost all of them stood up in favour of the resolution except two nazims and a woman member Kahlida Intsar. After the acceptance of the resolution by a majority vote, the convenor prorogued the house.

After the meting, PML-N leaders including Rana Tanvir Ahmed, Sardar Irfan Dogar, Bilal Virk and Haji Mohammad Nawaz held a press conference at the committee room of the district council. Rana Tanvir told reporters that the district nazim had made billions of rupees in the name of development.

He said that no-confidence motion was a lengthy procedure and now they have adopted a shorter one by getting his powers suspended. He said that the PML N was also ready to lunch a no-confidence motion against Nankana Shaib district nazim.

On the other hand, Jalil Sharqpuri flanked by MNA Mian Javed Latif also held a press conference and declared the whole proceedings of the house “unconstitutional” and “unlawful”.

“I have taken up the matter with the authority concerned to take action against the convener as he had called the house meeting without obtaining his (district nazim’s) consent,” Jalil Sharqpuri added.