KOHAT: The district council on Tuesday formed a committee to examine the permission granted to the tehsil municipal administration by the provincial government to re-impose the loading and unloading tax.

It also discussed the ban on the release of sports and social welfare funds, and the Supreme Court verdict in the Aasia Bibi blasphemy case.

The house met with convener and deputy nazim Haji Abdur Rasheed in the chair.

Nazim Naseem Afridi, councillors Iqbal Khan, Dr Matiullah Shah, opposition leader Al-Hamid and others took part in discussions on various issues.

The councillors appealed to the Supreme Court to review the blasphemy accused’s acquittal.

However, the convener asked them to leave the matter for the judiciary to decide.

District police officer Hamid Mehmood briefed the house about the one-year performance of the department.

He promised a crackdown on criminals and black sheep in the police department.

The house deferred discussion on the vegetable market operation issue for being sub judice.

The members asked revenue officer of TMA Farzand Ali Kayani about the re-imposition of loading and unloading tax, which was abolished in 90s.

He clarified that the tax had been imposed on vehicles using intra-district highways and passing through Kohat.

The officer promised to produce details of tax collection.

The chair formed a committee to examine the matter.

The opposition members questioned the ban on release of funds for the purchase of sewing machines by the welfare department.

The councillors took a strong exception to the complaints of the women staff members of schools about visit by irrelevant male members of the department.

Dr Matiulllah alleged that assistant development officer of the executive officer (female) Rauf Khan harassed the female staff members of the schools by calling them on personal cellphones and checking their attendance.

The house unanimously asked the department to stop the official from visiting schools during school hours and ask him to see development work after the campus closure.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2018