RAWALPINDI, April 11: The women members staged a walk-out from the District Council session on Thursday against their ‘symbolic presence’ in the house and demanded equal status and role in all decision-making process.

The protest was staged on the request of councillor Samina Jadoon. A large number of other members, particularly the opposition also joined the walk-out.

“Our symbolic presence in the district council is unacceptable to us and we want the government to specify our role and treat us as equal to the general seat members,” one of the lady councillors said, while leaving the hall.

The members’ protest continued for over an hour but the council remained in session despite although the quorum was not complete, which was repeatedly pointed out by some of the members.

Acting district Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas and his team held discussions with lady councillors and assured them that their reservations would be conveyed to the quarters concerned and seek redressal of their grievances.

Following the talks, the women members and their supporters returned to the session. Nargis Malik speaking on a point of order, demanded of the acting Nazim to reiterate the assurances given to them, on the floor of the house.

Mr Ikhlas told the session that a meeting will be arranged between a team of lady councillors and the governor, so that they could apprise him of their demands and problems faced by them.

Mr Ikhlas informed the council that Rawalpindi Tehsil would be given Rs18 million additional funds from Khushal Pakistan Programme (KPP) during the current fiscal year, which would be spent on small projects.

The government has already allocated Rs88 million to the Tehsil, Rs46.7 million to Gujar Khan Tehsil, Rs29 million to Taxila Tehsil, Rs37.4 million to Kahuta Tehsil, Rs25.6 million to Kotli Sattian Tehsil and Rs30.1 million to Murree Tehsil under KPP.

There were chances that funds of about Rs30 to Rs40 million, could lapse during the current financial year because work had not started on a number of schemes or else was very sluggish.

In view of this, the district government has decided to reappropriate funds allocated for these schemes to other projects particularly electrification works, so that funds are not wasted.

The heads of the departments had been asked that they would be held responsible, if funds lapsed in future, informed Mr Ikhlas.

The district government, he told the council, had issued show-cause notices to the contractors of the defunct Zila Council for the incomplete projects undertaken by them.

The acting district Nazim said Rs10.8 million had been allocated for the abandoned water supply schemes, which would be now made functional at the cost of Rs0.25 million

Reflecting on other achievements, he said shortage of doctors had been overcome and new doctors would be joining their duty soon and teachers were being recruited for the 2,200 vacancies in the district.