RAWALPINDI, July 17: The Punjab local government and rural development department has started an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement and irregularities committed by the TMA officials in the award of the commercialization fee contract and construction of a plaza, Dawn has learnt.

The investigations have been initiated on the request of the Rawalpindi Tehsil Council which refused to approve the contracts and passed a unanimous resolution asking the government to probe both the contracts. The cases were unearthed by the building control committee of the Tehsil council.

According to the committee’s findings, largescale irregularities were committed in the construction of Umair Plaza, which caused a loss of millions of rupees to the TMA.

Similarly, the commercialization fee contract worth millions of rupees was awarded at a throw-away price allegedly to one of the favourites of the Tehsil Nazim. This also caused a big financial loss to the TMA, the building control committee findings said.

Taking serious note of these irregularities, the inspection team called the TMA officials to appear before the inquiry committee.