MULTAN: The vaccines meant for the cattle belonging to poor farmers under the chief minister’s package were freely used by the district livestock department to oblige influential landlords, including a lawmaker of the ruling PML-N, sources told Dawn.

According to the sources, the department headed by district livestock officer purchased de-worming and other vaccines at a cost of Rs1.586 million during 2012-13 from various suppliers under the Chief Minister’s Package for Poor Livestock Farmers.

Initially, they said, it was announced by the government that not more than four cattle of a small-scale livestock farmer would be vaccinated free of cost. However, later the number of cattle to be vaccinated under the scheme was revised to 20 through a letter (No 11604-39) issued by director general (Ext.) of the Punjab livestock and dairy development department, they added.

The sources said after issuance of the letter, the local livestock authorities went on to oblige the influential people out of the way, even ignoring the limit of 20 cattle per farmer.

They said one of the beneficiaries was PML-N MPA Naghma Mushtaq Lang, who despite being a member of Punjab Assembly from PP-206 and not entitled to the free vaccination, got her 16 animals vaccinated by the department.

Similarly, they said, six animals of a former chairman of market committee, Malik Mumtaz Ahmed, 24 animals of a lawyer, Jam Faiz Akbar and 150 animals of Khurshid Abbas said to be brother of PML-N MNA Mehdi Abbas Langah, were vaccinated free of cost.

The cattle of former MPA Syed Mujahid Ali Shah were also vaccinated, besides the 24 animals of an influential farmer, retired Col Noor Muhammad Khan, the sources said.

According to an official document, a copy of which is available with Dawn, 13 influential farmers who got more than 20 cattle vaccinated free of cost through Civil Veterinary Hospital Qadirpur Raan, included Malik Muhammad Ashiq (21 animals), Malik Aslam Hussain (26), Rabnawaz (22), Taj Muhammad (30), Muhammad Khan (27), Colonel Noor Muhammad Khan (24), Shahid Hussain (22), Munir Ahmed (21), Aslam (35), Malik Allah Ditta (22), Haji Ashiq Hussain (48), Malik Muhammad Ashfaq (25) and Muhammad Sadiq (48).

As many as 371 additional animals of these influential people were vaccinated above the prescribed limit of 20, despite the fact they were not entitled to the facility.

According to the document, at Qasba Marral 2,939 cattle of influential people were vaccinated above the prescribed number, at Bosan 2,368, Rasoolpur 1,181, Havelli Lang 1,159, Ghazipur 410, Bait Kaitch 400, Jahanpur 410 and at Shujabad the number was 2,000.

The total number of additional animals vaccinated free of cost at all these centers was 1,1916 animals, it mentions.

Livestock District Officer Sibtain Bhatti said he was not holding the office at the time when the vaccines were purchased and cattle were vaccinated.

Former Livestock DO Jaffar Shah, admitting vaccination of more than the permitted number of cattle, claimed the cost of additional vaccine used was recovered from the field staff.

He also claimed that with the upward revision of the number of cattle to be vaccinated per farmer from four to 20, the department was allowed to vaccinate livestock of all farmers rich and poor. However, he did not explain if there was such a permission, why the cost of extra vaccine used was “recovered” from the field staff.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2015

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