ABBOTTABAD, Feb 27: Members of the district council Abbottabad have demanded of the provincial government to immediately release funds for the development schemes in the district.

Speaking at the council session, held here on Wednesday, the members lauded the provincial government decision to impose a ban on private practice by the government doctors. Naib Nazim Javed Abbasi presided over the session.

The members complained that transfer and postings of government functionaries had been made without taking into confidence Nazim and Naib Nazims of respective union councils.

District Nazim Mustafa Jadoon assured the members that rules would not be violated in matter of transfer and postings and every thing would be done on merit.

The house ordered inquiry into illegal cutting of trees in Galyat while it was proposed that efforts should be made to lay Sui gas transmission lines in the hilly areas so that it could be used as means of firewood otherwise local people would continue to use timber forest as fuel.

To a question, the district Nazim said that appointments and transfers in the education and health departments would be made by the district government on the recommendations of house committees.

A member Kamran Ahmed said that the district council had not yet started legislation work according to section 192, Part II of 5th Schedule where legislation is required to be done in 43 departments.

Tahir Faraz Abbasi tabled a resolution demanding restoration of route permits for wagon service from Rawalpindi to Muzaffarabad via Upper Dewal and Upper Birot as this road link had been used by more than one lakh residents of the area for the last 15 years.

Birot Union Council and some other parts of Abbottabad district are being linked from Punjab side and after the cancellation of this route people of the area are facing hardships.