July 08, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 4, 1429

ATTOCK, July 7: Some district council members on Monday alleged that the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) had inflicted huge losses to the exchequer through use of substandard material in the construction of buildings for education and health departments.

In a session held here at the District Council Hall, one of the members, Akram Awan, complained that construction work on Government Girls High School in Mianwala UC and Government High School in Akhlaz UC of Pindigheb Tehsil were left incomplete by the NLC.

The session was presided over by member/nazim Nara UC, Sardar Wajid Ali Khan, in the absence of Convener Malik Sameen Khan.

Mr Awan also claimed that the overall construction of both buildings was also substandard, despite the utilisation of Rs70 million funds.

Some other members also expressed their reservations about the NLC’s work on new and old buildings of the education and health departments.

They asked the convener to take notice of this serious issue, prompting him to direct the in charge of NLC Attock to explain his position during the next district council session.

Mr Awan also expressed concern over the charging of toll tax at two points — Haro Bridge and Mullah Mansoor — on the G.T. Road, and termed the practice “totally unjustified”.

He said the government should abolish one of the toll plazas to lift extra tax burden.

Meanwhile, a member and nazim Burhan UC Haji Rafaqat said the building of Rural Health Centre in his constituency was in a bad condition due to which 25,000 people were facing problems in getting medical treatment.

Furthermore, provision of gas facility and construction of a water tank at a basic health unit in the area should also be done at the earliest in the greater public interest, he added.

Similarly, opposition leader and nazim UC Attock-I Rana Shaukat Ali Khan also drew the attention of the convener towards lack of basic medical facilities at the District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital Attock, including unavailability of X-Ray machine and life saving drugs.

“The situation demands prompt attention by the government in order to enable the DHQ hospital to cater to the needs of the people living in six tehsils of the district,” he said.

A member, Mohammad Nawaz Khan, suggested that the Government Higher Secondary School Burhan should be named after renowned figure Razia Sultana for her remarkable services in the education sector, particularly education of visually-impaired children.

On a proposal, the house also approved the extension of the graveyard at Barotha village.

Meanwhile, opposition members raised strong protest against regular absence of the heads of different government departments in the council sessions, and asked the convener to take note of their reluctance.

The house also offered Fateha for the people killed in the Islamabad suicide bombing.