LAHORE: The City District administration reportedly suspended on Monday as many as 18 officials of district health and other departments, including the Lahore Metropolitan Corporation, from service for being allegedly involved in receiving bribe for ‘out-of-turn’ Covid-19 vaccination and committing irregularities at various vaccination centres.

Since most complaints related to the Lahore PKLI and Expo vaccination centres, the administration has also launched a thorough probe to this effect, Dawn has learnt.

Those suspended, according to reports, for vaccinating the people allegedly after getting bribe, included Muhammad Tanveer, Babar Ali, Faqir Hussain, Nawaz John, Sajjad Ali, Karamat Ali, Amjad Ali, Taimur Fayyaz and Muhammad Yusuf.

However, those suspended from service on charges other than out-of-turn vaccination, were identified as Muhammad Ikram, Muhammad Osama, Kashif Maseeh, Bushra Farman, Allah Wasaya, Shahzad Hussain, Aqsa Shahid, Imtiaz Ali and Abeer Shehzadi.

“The action has been taken on our complaint. The Lahore DC being administrator of the district health authority has conducted the inquiry and suspended 18 officials for being involved in irregularities, including receiving bribe for vaccinating the people,” Lahore Commissioner retired Capt Muhammad Usman told Dawn. “Those suspended belonged to the district health department and not the MCL,” Mr Usman, who also heads the corporation as administrator, clarified.

On the other hand, the Lahore DC said those suspended belonged to various departments, including health and the corporation (MCL).

“But I think nine, not 18, officials were suspended. Will confirm you later,” DC Mudassir Riaz Malik told this reporter.

He said the officials involved used to get vaccine (as per choice of the people) injected to the citizens by receiving bribes. “Most complaints related to the PKLI vaccination centre. Some related to the Expo centre (Johar Town),” the DC said, adding that the Cantonment assistant commissioner has been appointed as an inquiry officer. He said he had also directed all ACs to keep checking the vaccine stock, number of people inoculated, name of vaccine etc.

LWMC: The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) on Monday claimed to have cleaned the PIA Road drain by lifting eight tonnes of waste.

According to a spokesman, the LWMC teams also carried out an awareness drive followed by the distribution of [awareness] material at 120 shops.

“The enforcement teams also issued notices to as many as 100 people for illegal dumping of the solid waste in the city,” the spokesman said, adding that the company would clear all city drains of waste with the help of Wasa and other civic agencies.

TRADERS: Traders on Monday postponed their [post-Eid] protest in Islamabad following the NCOC decision allowing opening of markets, shops etc till 8pm daily.

According to a press release, the traders also demanded to allow businesses till 10pm daily.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2021