GUJRANWALA, Oct 3: Twenty three excise officials, including an excise and taxation officer (ETO), were declared surplus after establishment of district governments and they have not been absorbed in any government department, it is learnt here on Wednesday.

An ETO, four assistant excise and taxation officers and 18 other low paid employees were declared surplus on the directives of the Punjab government about three months ago. They have not been paid salaries for the period.

These employees have demanded that they should be absorbed in any government department and paid salaries without any delay.

UPLIFT SCHEMES: The work of all ongoing development schemes of the Gujranwala Development Authority (GDA) and under Khushal Pakistan programme would be completed within stipulated period.

This was stated by GDA director-general Pervaiz Sultan at a meeting here on Wednesday.

The meeting was told that Rs41 million would be spent on three development schemes of GDA under annual development programme while Rs11 million have been allocated for three development schemes to be completed under Khushal Pakistan programme.

CONTRACT CANCELLED: The city tehsil council cancelled contracts of lorry adda parking fee and building fee and restrained the contractors to collect the fee.

These contracts were cancelled some time ago and auctioned again in the presence of city tehsil Nazim and Naib Nazim and councillors. But the council cancelled these contracts without giving any reason.

A city tehsil council source said the contracts were cancelled due to some legal complications and would be restored or auctioned later.

DEATH SENTENCE: An additional district and sessions judge sentenced one Abdul Razzaq to death with Rs50,000 fine in a murder case.

The convict will have to undergo six months’ hard jail in case of default of payment of fine.

According to the prosecution, the convict killed one Tahir Mahmood on suspicion of illicit relation with a woman on September 13, 2000.