LAHORE, Feb 25: The Punjab Assembly was informed on Tuesday that 37 official residences of the Punjab government were under ‘illegal’ occupation of various officials and measures were being taken to have them evacuated.

Food Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal said during the question hour that in 10 cases courts had issued stay orders after which it was not possible for the government to proceed further.

Replying to a question by Ms Shahla Rathore, the minister admitted that 344 tonnes of wheat had been misappropriated by an official in connivance with a factory owner.

The official had been dismissed from service and asked to pay Rs2.7 million. Of this, Rs800,000 have already been recovered from him.

Replying to another question, he said the Pasrur Sugar Mills, renamed Ganj Bakhsh Sugar Mills, owed Rs40 million to sugarcane growers. The government, he said, was trying to have the dues cleared in three instalments.

Replying to a question put by MMA’s Syed Ehsanullah Waqas, he said the government strongly wanted the growers to get support price for their produce. However, for the time being no proposal was under consideration to declare purchase by commission agents on reduced rates as a cognizable offence.

PML-N’s Sheikh Amjad Aziz challenged the veracity of all answers given by the Auqaf minister regarding the distribution of zakat or the holding of elections for the zakat committees.

He alleged that a blasphemer was still the chairman of a committee, although a former auqaf minister had sought his removal. This man had organized a dance party under the cloak of a Milad gathering, he claimed.

The Auqaf minister said he would remove the man if the charge against him was proved.

The PML-N leader further alleged that a man organizing elections for zakat committees was also a blasphemer and a case was still pending against him.

The minister promised that he would look into the matter.

A Sheikhupura legislator alleged that a patwari was preparing a partisan report on the damage caused by a recent tornado.

The law minister said he would ensure that a correct assessment was given so that the affectees could be compensated in the light of the instructions given by the chief minister.

Raja Basharat told a questioner that the Police Ordinance, 2002, had not been implemented in its entirety by any province. The Punjab government was also looking into various aspects of the law for enforcement according to the requirements of the province.

He said powers to promote senior police officials were being given to the inspector-general.