BAHAWALNAGAR: Abrupt closure of Ehsaas Kifalat Centre at Mandi Sadiq Ganj has perturbed the residents of more than 80 villages.

The facility was opened months after complaints on the Citizen Portal and brought relief to the local populace.

Mandi Sadiq Ganj, a sub tehsil of Bahawalnagar, comprises more than 80 villages of border areas and lacks basic health and sanitation facilities as a result of which more than 100,000 citizens suffer from administrative neglect.

The protesting residents of the border area told Dawn that the poor citizens including the elderly and women had to travel a long distance to Minchinabad to receive financial assistance. They said the residents lodged complaints on the Citizen Portal a few months ago and a centre was finally opened in Mandi Sadiq Ganj in April 2020. However, they said, the administration closed the centre after two months without giving any reason.

Furthermore, they said Mandi Sadiq Ganj consisting of thousands of hectares of land was without a land record centre and when it opened one year ago, no permanent tehsildar was appointed here. According to revenue department sources, Jam Bashir was the last naib tehsildar who was permanently deputed in Mandi Sadiq Ganj until 1996.

They said that despite clear instructions by the higher authorities, no naib tehsildar had been willing to permanently work in the area and the residents had to travel from far-flung villages to Minchinabad for resolution of their issues for the past 25 years.

They claimed that attempts were being made to close the several complaints made by residents on the Citizen Portal.

The residents have demanded that Chief Minister Usman Buzdar take notice of the matter.

Minchinabad Assistant Commissioner Muzammil Illyas said the kifalat centre had been closed down because of security concerns.

He said he had sent a proposal to the higher authorities to approve the centre in Mandi Sadiq Ganj but it was rejected because there was no branch of Habib Bank here.

The AC said his office had given strict written instructions for the appointment of naib tehsildar in Mandi Sadiq Ganj on June 23 in response to complaints on Citizen Portal. He said naib tehsildar had been instructed to ensure presence two days a week.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2021