GUJRANWALA, Aug 28 Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has removed Gujranwala divisional commissioner Khalid Masood Chaudhry over inadequate supply of flour and sugar at Ramazan bazaars.

Hasham Tareen, a senior DMG officer, was given the charge of the commissioner, who assumed duty on Friday.

A day earlier, the chief minister had made DCO Dr Ejaz Munir an OSD and suspended Nandipur Town Officer (Regulations) Malik Khudadad from service.

The provincial chief paid a surprise visit to Ramazan bazaars at Shaheenabad, Dhulley and People's Colony where a number of people, including women, were waiting for flour and sugar for a couple of hours. The decision to sack the commissioner came later in the day.

Meanwhile, the district administration doubled the flour quota from 1,000 to 2,000 bags to each Ramazan bazaar throughout the district. District Officer (Revenue) Syed Sibtul Hasan Shah said on Friday that 17 Ramazan bazaars had been set up in the district and each would have two trucks (one for women) of flour bags.

Similarly, he said, there would be a separate truck of sugar bags for women.

He suspended two patwaris Azam Khan and Rana Shafiq from service in Kamoki over negligence.

Meanwhile, chief minister's adviser Jehanzeb Burki visited Ramazan bazaars at Kamoki, Aimanabad, People's Colony and other places and reviewed the supply of essentials.

The customers present there complained about availability of substandard commodities, and said there were too few shops to facilitate the public.

MARTH CASE The Anti-Terrorism Court No 2 on Friday continued hearing the murder case of former SSP Ashraf Marth at the central jail, recording the statements of three prosecution witnesses.

It was stated that defunct Lashkar-i-Jhangvi activists Abu Bakr, Aziz alias Chhota Usman, Ghulam Rasul and Hafiz Abdul Haq were involved in the murder.

They were produced before the court amid high security.

The court recorded the statements of two sub-inspectors Ali Akbar and Munir Ahmad and head-constable Ashiq Husain, and adjourned the case until Sept 2 while summoning the remaining prosecution witnesses.