GUJRAT: The upgrade of Wazirabad, a tehsil of Gjranwala, as district and its inclusion in newly-created Gujrat division is not an outcome of any popular local demand by social and political circles of this town known for its cutlery and stainless steel products.

There was apparently no excitement at public level in Wazirabad on Saturday through display of banners, holding of a rally or any other mean to celebrate the move. Local political circles believe the move is aimed at minimising the political influence of the PML-N in the Gujranwala region. Currently, both the National Assembly and at least three Punjab Assembly seats of the newly-created district are held by the PML-N.

An administrative official said the inclusion of four districts -- Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad and Wazirabad -- in Gujrat region may transform it into a pro-PTI/PML-Q region mainly with the dominance of the Jutt clan.

The Punjab government on Saturday notified Wazirabad as a new district that would comprise Wazirabad and Alipur Chatha tehsils as the proposal to give tehsil status to Gakhar Mandi town has been shelved.

Move seems to curtail PML-N influence in Gujranwala region

Alipur Chatha tehsil has been created through the bifurcation of Wazirabad tehsil as Ahmed Nagar Chatha, the native village of Hamid Nasir Chatha, has also been separated from Wazirabad tehsil and included into Alipur Chatha tehsil whereas Gakhar Mandi town will remain part of Wazirabad tehsil.

Even as a district headquarter, Wazirabad tehsil has only 123 revenue estates whereas Alipur Chatha tehsil is comprised of 139 revenue estates as per the notification issued by the Senior Member, Board of Revenue.

An official of the PML-Q said that the idea to upgrade Wazirabad and its inclusion in Gujrat division was first floated by MNA Moonis Elahi in a meeting with then Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar at least 18 months ago.

However, he said when Parvez Elahi became Punjab CM and the plan to make Gujrat a divisional headquarter was launched, local PTI leader Muhammad Ahmed Chatha, the scion of veteran politician Hamid Nasir Chatha, became active and supported the idea in a meeting with party chairman Imran Khan. Ahmed Chatha claimed he had initiated the demand for the creation of Wazirabad district and tehsil status for Alipur Chatha with an aim to facilitate people of the area as smaller administrative units always help in serving the people in a better way.

He denied having any reservations on the inclusion of Wazirabad district into Gujrat, saying affiliation with any division did not make any difference. He rejected the impression that there was no popular demand for the move.

Zulfiqar Cheema, a retired inspector general of police whose brother Dr Nisar Cheema is a PML-N MNA from Wazirabad, says on his social media page that as per his information at least 90 per cent people of Wazirabad are against the decision to include the new district into Gujrat division and want to remain part of Gujranwala.

Khalid Mughal, chairman of the Pakistan Cutlery and Stainless Steel Utensils Makers Association, said locals did not have much issue with the move. He said Parvez Elahi had first established a cardiology hospital in Wazirabad and now upgraded it.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has handed over the additional charge of Wazirabad deputy commissioner to Gujrat DC Amer Shahzad Kang who also belongs to Wazirabad.

Gujrat Commissioner Ahmed Kamal visited Wazirabad on Monday where he inspect the available government buildings, health facilities and other infrastructure.Official sources said the initial estimate of the cost to create Wazirabad district was more than Rs 14 billion and some 1100 posts might also be created.

They said the bureaucracy in the provincial capital had also expressed some reservations over financial impact of creating new administrative units that could increase a fiscal burden on the province.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2022