FAISALABAD, Oct 30: The provincial local government and rural development department has asked the tehsil municipal administrations to cancel all the contracts of collection of taxes, fees, cess and other levies of the local councils because these have been awarded in violation of the Punjab Local Government (Auctioning of Collection Rights) Rules 2003.

In a directive issued by Deputy Secretary (General) Muhammad Hassan Iqbal, it was pointed out that complaints were received in the department from several local councils that collection rights of different taxes had been leased out and agreements had been signed with the contractors before the issuance of the Punjab Local Government (Auctioning of Collection Rights) Rules 2003.

In some cases, the contractors have made full payments and cancellation of contracts at this stage can involve undue litigation.

It also pointed out that many Nazims of the TMAs had expressed their inability to collect taxes and other levies due to inadequate staff.

The directive further said that after examination of all such complaints, the Punjab Local Government (Auctioning of Collection Rights) Rules 2003, issued instructions vide letter No SOV(LG) 5-23/203, of May 3, 2003, and these were published in the official gazette on May 14.

According to the Rule 3, contracts of collection rights of such taxes, fee, rates, cess and other levies of the local government, demand of which can be raised against a specific person and arrear of which can be carried forward in his account, shall not be awarded to a contractor in any case.

A clarification in this regard was also issued vide this department’s letter of July 22.

The TMAs have been asked to take necessary action in accordance with the provisions of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001, rules and instructions issued in this regard from time to time.

Hashmi: Leaders of the PML-N and the PPP (Parliamentarians) have condemned the arrest of ARD president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi.

In separate statements issued here on Thursday, they termed the arrest as a conspiracy hatched by the government agencies to destroy the political set up in the country.

They said that the struggle for restoration of democracy, revival of 1973 Constitution and supremacy of parliament would continue despite all harsh steps taken by the present government.

PML-N deputy leader in the Punjab Assembly Rana Sanaullah Khan, MPAs Malik Nawaz and Sheikh Ijaz, district president Chaudhry Safdar Rahman, city president Khwaja Islam, former parliamentarians Mian Abdul Mannan and Rana Afzal said that their party was not against the army. But it would raise voice against the wrong doings of some generals who had made the army a controversial institution.

PPP’s Punjab secretary-general and MPA Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan, MPAs Jahanzeb Imtiaz Gill, Dr Asad Moazzam, Asghar Ali Qaisar and Faizullah Kamoka, district president Rana Farooq Saeed Khan and city president Imran Murtaza Khan said that the arrest of Javed Hashmi had exposed the tall claims of rulers that they believe in democratic norms.

They said that the law and order situation was worsening because the entire government machinery was engaged in political victimization of the opposition leaders.

They said that by arresting Mr Hashmi, the government had attempted to stop the protest movement of the ARD.

They said that the ARD central leadership would finalize future course of action within the next 24 hours.