MANSEHRA: Pandemonium and disorganisation marred a meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz here on Thursday when a local leader spoke harshly against the party.

The meeting was to finalise preparations for the planned public gathering of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Havalian. The prime minister is due to inaugurate Hazara motorway project on November 29 at the public meeting in Havelian.

The meeting was in progress in the district council hall when PML-N local leader Taimur Raza rose from his seat and began to speak against the party. “We thought PTI chairman Imran Khan, standing on a container, was telling a lie but now we came to know that whatever Mr Khan said was right,” he said.

Local leader lashes out at party govt, elected representatives

The meeting, which was attended by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, local MPAs of PML-N Wajiuzaman Khan, Sardar Zahoor, Salah Mohammad Khan and Mian Ziaur Rehman, turned into a stampede after Mr Taimur stunned the workers and leaders by his harsh words.

Hearing the harsh words of the local leaders, the workers of PML-N also began to chant slogans in the favour of Mr Yousuf and against Mr Raza. The minister was snubbed by Mr Raza when he said that PML-N was going to launch a Rs4 billion water supply scheme soon in the area. Mr Raza said that the schemes, which were launched following devastating earthquake some nine years ago, were yet to be completed.

“PML-N is making false claims that Hazara motorway project of Rs33 billion is going to benefit people of Mansehra as this project will benefit people up to Havelian area of Abbottabad district,” the disgruntled leader said.

He also lashed out at local lawmakers and said that except Salah Mohammad Khan none of the MPAs was serving people in true sense. They were just making false claims, he alleged. He said that minster for religious affairs and MNA Mohammad Safdar, the son-in-law of prime minister, could not do anything for the welfare of the people, who voted them to power. Mr Raza was later pulled out peacefully from the hall by his supports.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion the federal minster said that a historic gathering would be held in Havelian. He said that PML-N government wanted to put Hazara on track of prosperity and development by initiating uplift projects in the area.

RECRUITMENTS: The district education department has appointed 99 low grade employees to fill the posts lying vacant at several schools for the last many years.

“We are proud of making the recruitment process ambiguity-free. We accepted no pressure from any quarters,” said Gohir Ali, the district education officer.

He said that a six-member committee finalised the recruitment process. He said that three per cent quota was fixed for minorities but nobody applied for it and as a result the quota of employee’s son was increased from 25 per cent to 27 per cent. The remaining one per cent was allotted to physically challenged candidates.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014