CHINIOT: Patwaris across Tehsil Chiniot launched a pen-down strike in protest against the suspension of their colleague Hafiz Touqeer Ahmad, and alleged misbehaviour by Bhowana Assistant Commissioner (AC) Sadia Jamal.

The protest, led by the Anjuman Patwarian, brought work in the revenue circles of Tehsil Bhowana to a halt.

Patwaris claimed that the suspension of Hafiz Touqeer over alleged bogus entries in land records related to the PULSE project was baseless.

A meeting of the union was held at the Tehsil Office Bhowana, where District Vice President Pervez Ali Khan, Tehsil President Rana Kashif Hameed, and General Secretary Sajid Ali Rajoka addressed the gathering.

Union leaders claimed that senior Patwaris had verified Hafiz Touqeer’s work and found it accurate. They further said that a case related to the matter is currently under review in the court of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Revenue, Chiniot.

According to the union, when a delegation of Patwaris approached the AC Bhowana to present their point of view, she allegedly misbehaved with them and asked them to leave her office.

The meeting concluded with the passage of a resolution demanding the immediate transfer of the AC Bhowana and the reinstatement of Hafiz Touqeer.

The union warned that if their demands are not met, the strike will continue indefinitely and may be expanded to the district and provincial levels.

On the other hand, AC Sadia Jamal said in a case of partition of a big piece of land held by a number of owners, Patwari Hafiz Touqeer misused his powers and decided the proceedings without giving opportunity to a stakeholder in the piece of land who is a disabled person, and didn’t entertain his request for hearing. Even though the matter was in the court, he allowed the party to take possession causing grievance to the disabled person.

“Moreover he is a habitual work shirker during revenue affairs and work progress on the PULSE project was also unsatisfactory”, she added.

It merits mentioning that the Punjab government has recently initiated the Punjab Urban Land Systems Enhancement (PULSE) project, aimed at digitising land records across the province.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2025