KOHAT: The tehsil nazim was allegedly manhandled while three officials of the tehsil municipal administration were injured in a scuffle with police on Wednesday over removal of illegal kiosk constructed on the land of Jinnah Municipal Plaza.

Tehsil nazim Malik Taimoor told this correspondent that SHO of the city police station Ayatullah Khan established a cabin on the property of TMA taking the plea that on its backside there was a police checkpost. He elaborated that the boundary of the plaza was marked and the cabin was constructed inside it in the open area.

“The cabin was constructed in one night and when we went to demolish it in the morning after noticing it a large number of policemen led by the SHO attacked us, injuring three officials, Shahid, Rashid and Arshad who have been taken to the KDA hospital. The police also misbehaved with me and tore my clothes,” Mr Taimoor said and claimed he sustained bruises as he was hit by butts of rifles.

Mr Taimoor said that he had informed the district police officer about the incident and demanded expulsion of the SHO from the district. He said that they wanted an FIR against the police official for taking bribe from a businessman for selling the illegal cabin to him and forcibly occupying the TMA property.

The TMA officials blocked the busy Shah Faisal Gate road to traffic and removed the cabin.

TMA encroachment officer Vaqas Ahmed said on the occasion that in fact the place of checkpost which was being claimed by the police was the property of TMA whose rent had not been paid for decades. He demanded that the police should vacate the checkpost.

When contacted, an official at the city police station said that so far no action had been taken against the SHO.

FISHING CONTRACTS: Deputy director fisheries, Kohat region, Mohammad Ilyas awarded fishing contracts of six dams of Karak and one of Hangu at his office for over Rs3.42 million to successful bidders on Wednesday.

The dams included Sharki, Ghol, Manghoz, Mardankhel and Karak dam in Karak district and Naryab dam of Hangu.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2019