BATTAGRAM: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers demonstrated here on Monday against the Battagram tehsil government for alleged corruption and unjust distribution of development funds.

PTI, Battagram chapter’s former president Syed Amal Shah Sherazi, tehsil council member Niaz Mohammad Khan Thakot and others participated in the protest.

Talking to mediapersons on the occasion, the protesters said they were embarrassed by the incompetency of the tehsil government led by their party.

The tehsil government is working against the party’s agenda and mission, promoting personalities rather than party vision, they alleged.

They said the provincial government had released special funds for development of backward and ignored areas, but the money was not being utilized in the targeted areas.

They added that the tehsil nazim was giving funds to those union councils and members from whom he could get contract of development projects and commissions.

They said that they had submitted uplift works of their respective union councils to the nazim to be included in the ADP, but these were ignored.

They said while the PTI was striving to end corruption from the country, the party overlooked the corrupt practices in the Battagram tehsil government.

They said the funds under the ADP 2017-18 were distributed unequally among the selected members of the tehsil council.

They also alleged substandard work on the development schemes, saying that the tehsil nazim took two per cent of the contract amount while the TMA staff was also taking bribes from the contractors thus, compromising the quality of work.

The protesters said they would move court if the injustices were not stopped. They also said the tehsil government had failed to take steps for youth empowerment. They regretted that the tehsil government had failed to construct a sports stadium in Battagram despite availability of funds.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2018