June 21, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 16, 1429

DERA GHAZI KHAN, June 20: Fifty-seven union council (UC) nazims favoured a no-trust resolution against District Nazim Maqsood Leghari on Friday while the district nazim’s group boycotted the proceeding calling it illegal.

Earlier, Mr Leghari told the house allegations raised in the no-trust move against him were baseless as the government had twice audited his three-year tenure but found no corruption.

The no-trust move has been sponsored by Punjab Local Bodies Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa, who was present outside the hall.

The council also offered fateha for slain Pakistan People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto on the plea by the district nazim.

In his address, the district nazim called convener Asim Zubair Khosa a party. The no-trust resolution with 57 UC nazims, out of 79, in its favour was sent to the Local Government Commission and the Election Commission of Pakistan for further proceeding.

The appearance of Mr Leghari in the house was surprising for the nazims as no one not expecting that he would come to face the motion. He came, delivered the speech rejecting all allegations against him and then walked out with his 14 supporters “in protest against illegal proceedings”.

Former MPA Aleem Shah said the ruling Khosa wanted to grab the district nazim slot to ensure the success of Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa in by-election for PP-243 where the son of the district nazim is also a candidate. The by-election will be held on June 26.

Sources said the Khosa group wanted to bring Allaudin Sheikh as interim district nazim and then Hassam Khosa, elder son Zulfiqar Khosa, as permanent nazim.