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MUZAFFARGARH, April 9: Some 3,000 enraged labourers of construction companies burnt offices, injured 15 officers and later threw traffic out of gear on Taunsa-Shaden Lund Road for not paying their salaries for the last three months.
Reports said that labourers had given the administration deadline of April 9 for the clearance of their dues.
The protesting labourers also chanted slogans against the administration of construction companies. Instead of holding dialogues with labourers, manager Manzoor allegedly abused them.
At this, laborers fell into a rage, made hostage officials of accounts and IT departments and beat them up as well. They also burnt computers, the record and furniture.
The protest resulted in a four kilometers long queue of vehicles. Till the filing of this report, the labourers had not cleared the road.
A security official of the Taunsa Barrage company said that the police appeared on the scene at 5pm while labourers had blocked the road since 12 noon.
Chinese engineers and others officials of the company saved their lives by running away from the scene.
Mr Manzoor claimed that only one-month salary of labourers was due and the company had planned to disburse the salary on Tuesday. He also said that labourers had called off their strike.
Inspector Rafiullah Niazi said that police were helpless to control the angry mob.
NAB: The National Accountability Bureau has issued notices to Khangarh post office for submission of record in the Rs7.7 million fraud allegedly committed by ex-assistant postmaster general Talib Husain Leghari during his tenure.
Reports said Muhammad Madni, Abdul Ghani, Malik Mazhar Husain and dozens of other accounts holder approached the Muzaffargarh deputy postmaster general that they had deposited millions with saving accounts of Khangarh post office and they had receipts and other documents in support of their claims.
They said the post office record either showed less amount or no sum. Muhammad Madni had opened two accounts — one for his wife and another in his name and deposited Rs2,250,000 (2.22 million). He had receipts issued by Talib Leghari. One month ago, when he approached the post office to draw money, he was told that in his both accounts only Rs22,500 had been deposited. On this, he contacted other accounts holders, and it was found about four dozens people had been robbed of their savings.
They contacted the Muzaffargarh deputy postmaster general who informed the senior officials in Lahore. The matter was referred to NAB which has issued notices for submission of record of the post office.
The Muzaffargarh deputy postmaster general said Mr Leghari had been terminated from service eight months ago on complaints of committing negligence in official work.
ROBBERY: As many as 15 armed people looted the officials of Chowk Sarwar Shaheed grid station on Sunday night and took away transformers and cable.
The accused entered the grid station and held 12 officials hostage in a room. They loaded three transformers and cable worth millions of rupees in a pickup and took away cell phones, watches and cash from all the employees.
Police have registered a case and are investigating.
