BAHAWALPUR: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has ordered an inquiry into the alleged mismanagement during the Cholistan jeep rally.

The rally was organised by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) from Feb 13 to 16 at Derawar Fort in Cholistan desert, some 70km from here.

It is learnt that a letter (a copy of which is available with Dawn) in connection with the holding of inquiry was issued by Additional Secretary (Coordination) Muhammad Naeem Ghaus of Chief Minister’s Office on Thursday.

Giving reference to a news item published in a section of press, the order addressed to the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) chairman, the additional secretary said the competent authority desired that a detailed inquiry might be conducted and a report in this regard be furnished for information/orders on a top priority basis.

It may be recalled that three top and seniormost racers and stakeholders, including Bahawalpur club chief Mahmood Majid Chaudhry, Nauman Saranjam (Karachi) and Qasim Sadi (Lahore) in their interviews had pointed out a number of flaws and mismanagement on the part of the main organiser i.e. the TDCP.

They had complained that they had to wait for hours in a queue for their registration to participate in the jeep rally. They had expressed their dissatisfaction over the arrangements made by TDCP for the rally.

When contacted, chairman Dr Raheel Ahmed Siddiqui said by phone that he would soon initiate an inquiry into the alleged mismanagement and try to complete it at the earliest to submit its report to the CM Secretariat.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020