LAHORE, Feb 28: Punjab Governor Salman Taseer on Saturday reactivated the nazims incapacitated by the previous government, immediately restoring their administrative, financial and legal powers.

He was talking to media after a meeting with 27 district nazims.

The nazims, who fought corruption charges during the PML-N government, opposed the the lawyers’ long march because “the country cannot afford political confrontation”.

Analysts see the governor’s decision to reactivate the nazims with full financial and administrative powers as a move to strengthen his hold over the province. The divisional commissioner’s interference in the affairs of districts would now stop, Mr Taseer said.

The governor announced release of district governments’ frozen funds through a notification under the provincial finance award in a week. The funds for education sector reforms would be released later.

The governor has also decided to restore projects of the citizens’ community boards and returned to Nazims all vehicles seized by district administrations.

He announced capping of all funds released to the DCOs on ‘verbal orders’ of the previous government.

Mr Taseer withdrew cases instituted against nazims by the previous government, saying they had not plundered the exchequer.

He said that the auditor-general’s report did not prove corruption charges against nazims.
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