September 06, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 05, 1429

ATTOCK, Sept 5: The office of Secretary Local Government (LG) Punjab is dawdling with procedural action against the Fatehjang’s Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) financial official who has been proven guilty of corruption, it has been learnt.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Attock Saqib Zafar, in a letter sent to the LG secretary last month, recommended that proceedings should be initiated against Tehsil Officer (TO) Finance Mohammad Ashhab for his involvement in “corruption, forgery and embezzlement”.

The DCO had stated that Mr Ashhab committed the fraud with the connivance of three other TMA officials, including two tax inspectors, a junior peon and two other outsiders. Charges against them were proven in an inquiry conducted by the tehsil officer regulation.

The inquiry was initiated on the complaint of Malik Mohammad Afzal, a driver in TMA Fatehjang, who produced documentary evidence showing that tax was being collected from local shopkeepers/traders on fake receipt books with the active involvement of the TO finance, two tax inspectors, a Naib Qasid and two other persons, causing huge financial loss the national exchequer.

During the departmental inquiry, detailed statements of the accused officials, the complainant, affected shopkeepers and other relevant people were recorded, and the tax receipts were also examined.

The comparison of issued tax receipts with the TMA’s original receipt books and other record of the TMA Fatehjang’s finance/taxation branch revealed that the accused had been collecting tax through fake receipt books.

The documentary evidence, statements and testimonies also proved that the misappropriation was committed under the supervision of the TO finance.

However, Mr Ashhab in is his statement said he had no concern with the issue as “tax collection is the prime duty of concerned staff”, but the inquiry officer turned down his plea as there was no corroborating evidence.

In view of these facts, the DCO sought departmental action against the financial officer.

But, the authorities concerned have not taken any action despite the passage of over one month, and Mr Ashhab is still performing duties at TMA, Fatehjang, sources said.

The sources described the cause of the unnecessary delay as “interference of local influential and political figures” due to their vested interest.

Despite repeated attempts by this correspondent, the LG secretary Punjab could not be contacted on phone.

When contacted, Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO) Fatehjang Ameer Ahmed Shah told Dawn that following the directives of DCO Attock, a criminal case was registered against all the accused with the Fatehjang police.

Contaminated water: The Residents of “K” block of the city on Thursday protested the supply of contaminated water to the locality and said their repeated complaints could not move the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) to rectify the situation.

They said with the supply of contaminated water the residents particularly children were exposed to water-borne diseases like hepatitis, typhoid, diarrhea and gastroenteritis.

The angry residents demanded of the Tehsil Nazim to resign if he could not provide basic facilities particularly clean drinking water to the people.