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BAHAWALPUR, Jan 25: The PML-N candidates have accused the district administration of using official machinery for campaigning in NA-187 (Bahawalpur-V) of Yazman tehsil from where ex-chief minister Pervaiz Elahi is contesting election.
Speaking at a joint press conference here on Friday, Saood Majid Chaudhry (NA-187 and PP-276), the PML-N district president, former MNA Chaudhry Mumtaz Ahmad Jajja (PP-275), ex-parliamentary secretary Samiullah Chaudhry and others also alleged that District Nazim Tariq Cheema was leading the Pervaiz Elahi’s campaign in the constituency and resorting to strong-arm tactics.
It was on Wednesday night, they said, that some PML-Q activists visited a PML-N camp in Yazman, tore the banners and resorted to firing to harass the political rivals. Despite their meeting with DPO Babar Sarfraz, they said, the police had yet to register a case.
Contrary to their complaint, the Yazman police registered a case against their men on the charge of firing. It was the PML men who resorted to firing which left an Elite Force official injured.
Chaudhry Saood said the officials of departments like TMA, health, revenue and education were overtly canvassing for the PML candidates and the nazim was victimising those who refused to vote for the PML. To quote two instances, he said, the government sealed a petrol pump whose owner refused to vote for the man of its choice and the district nazim thrashed one Rana Latif at the TMA office for “the same crime”.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan and the returning officer concerned had failed to take action against the wrongdoers despite numerous complaints. All the employees of government departments had been directed to exercise the right of postal ballot by stamping on bicycle or be prepared for stern action.
The PML-N candidate expressed fear that the nazim might implicate the political opponents as a last resort.
Samiullah Chaudhry alleged: “In order to create panic in the area, the nazim has now formed a group of proclaimed offenders to threaten the voters.”
RESCUE 1122: The network of Rescue 1122 service will be extended to the districts of Bahawalnagar and Lodhran during next year.
This was stated by District Emergency Officer Dr Abdul Sattar Aajiz while talking to journalists on Thursday. He said the government had so far spent Rs180 million on the Bahawalpur project which had two emergency centres in the city.
The centre would soon receive another two ambulances and four fire brigade lorries, raising the total number of ambulances to eight and fire vehicles to six. He said he was looking for a suitable site for constructing a rescue centre in Bahawalnagar.
As regards the establishment of the centre in Lodhran, the Multan officials were taking up the issue, he added.
