TAXILA: Deputy Commissioner Attock Imran Hamid Sheikh on Tuesday paid a surprise visit to a Sahulat Bazaar in Hazro to review availability of food items especially vegetable, fruits, sugar and flour and check quality and quantity of items.

He was accompanied by Additional Deputy Commissioner (revenue) Sheharyar Arif Khan and other officials of the local administration and municipal committee. During his visit, he inspected different sections of the bazaar including fruit and vegetable stalls and checked the quality and availability of flour, sugar and pulses.

Mr Sheikh directed the administration of the bazaar to improve cleanliness, provide more food items and make arrangements for sugar and flour at official rates. He asked the local administration to ensure implementation of fixed prices at all costs.

To ensure availability of essential commodities, particularly flour and sugar at fixed prices in the province, the Punjab government has issued orders to field officers to activate Sahulat bazaars at the tehsil level and it must be ensured that basic commodities are available there at discount prices.

Earlier, Mr Sheikh presided over an open court in Jinnah hall Hassanabdal with the aim to resolve issues pending with the Revenue department. He was also accompanied by Assistant Commissioner Hassanabdal Zunaira Jalil, tehsildar, naib tehsildar, revenue officers, and other officers. The open court was attended by a large number of citizens, particularly residents of the city and its vicinity. People briefed the DC regarding poor services of revenue officials and problems they face in land record centres. They told him that officials remain absent from their offices while their assistants are dealing with the public against hefty bribes. Besides this, residents voiced concern over the sale of stamp papers at exorbitant rates by stamp vendors.

Mr Sheikh asked the assistant commissioner and revenue officers to resolve all issues faced by the public on a priority basis and warned them that those found neglecting their duties will be proceeded against as per law. He assured the public that the government will address land-related issues.

He said that in a bid to revamp the outdated revenue system, Punjab government issued instructions to hold open courts on the first working day of every month to resolve revenue related matters of the people under one roof at the tehsil level and people should visit these courts for redress of their grievances.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2021