SWABI: District nazim Zahid Khan on Wednesday warned that funds to various departments would be stopped if their heads did not shun the habit of staying away from the district council sessions.

He asked them to submit explanations why they were not attending the sessions.

Speaking at a meeting of the district council, he asked the heads to regularly attend the sessions and answer to the questions raised by the councillors related to their departments.

The nazim said the council had constituted a committee to handle the issue of officials’ absence and distribution of funds. “We have constituted a 12-member committee and the officials have to present the explanations to it within three days,” he warned.

Meanwhile, through a unanimously-adopted resolution, the council members demanded that the people of Swabi should be given share in the royalty funds as they had given their lands for construction of Tarbela Dam. The resolution was tabled by Yasir Zaman.

The members said it was responsibility of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and provincial minister for local government Shahram Khan Tarakai to play due role in getting royalty funds for the district.

The district nazim said another council session would be convened before completion of the constitutional term of his government.

BONUS DEMANDED: Tarbela and Ghazi Barotha Dams’ employees have demanded payment of bonus before Eidul Azha.

A letter written by Afsar Khan, chairman labour union, Tarbela Dam, to Wapda authorities says that keeping in mind the upcoming religious festival and financial difficulties confronted by the workers, it was requested that Wapda announce bonus for them like the previous years, enabling them to celebrate the religious festival with enthusiasm.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2019