TOBA TEK SINGH, Feb 20: The provision of gas facility to Kamalia and Pirmahal has created a tussle between PML-Q MNA Riaz Fatyana and district Nazim Chaudhry Mohammad Ashfaq.

The district Nazim had announced before the October general election that gas had been approved for the two towns. Meanwhile, the national assembly candidates for NA-94, Riaz Fatyana, Khalid Ahmad Kharal and Chaudhry Asadur Rehman also promised provision of gas to these towns in their electoral speeches.

When Riaz Fatyana won the elections and joined the PML-Q, he explained to the voters that his move was aimed at resolving the problems of his constituency including provision of gas to Kamalia and Pirmahal. He twice met Prime Minister Zafrullah Jamali and announced last month at a big public meeting in Kamalia that the PML had approved provision of gas to both towns.

This created jealousy among his opponents and groups of defeated PPP candidate Khalid Ahmad Kharal and defeated PML-N candidate Chaudhry Asadur Rehman, who started saying that the announcement of Mr Fatyana was a farce.

The district Nazim ordered an inquiry against the heads of those government educational institutions of Kamalia Tehsil who had displayed banners praising Mr Fatyana for getting approval of gas for the two towns. The Nazim advised the heads of educational institutions who had displayed banners, to resign from service if they wished to take part in politics.

Now Mr Fatyana has challenged the Nazim as well as Mr Kharal and Chaudhry Asad to fix a date for a Munazara in the Kamalia Municipal Park, where he will prove that the PM sanctioned gas provision at his behest. He said he would quit politics forever if his three opponents succeeded in proving that the announcement was wrong.

He claimed that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had completed the survey for gas supply after prime minister’s approval.

It may be mentioned here that gas pipelines were laid in Kamalia when Khalid Ahmad Kharal was a federal minister in the PPP government. However, the main pipeline from Chichawatni or Toba Tek Singh is yet to be laid for the purpose.