KHANEWAL, Aug 7: The recent transfer of Jehanian tehsil officer of planning and coordination Ijaz Ahmad to Khanewal is the upshot of a standoff between Tehsil Nazim Chaudhry Karam Dad Wahla and the tehsil officer over the approval of two housing schemes, Dawn has learnt.
Documents made available to this correspondent reveal Ijaz wrote to Khanewal district coordination officer (DCO) Shakeel Ahmed and LG secretary Akhlaq Ahmed Tarar that Wahla had launched two housing schemes — Green Town and Al Atta Housing Scheme — in Jahanian through a property dealer. On June 28, the tehsil nazim called him to his office in the presence of two property dealers and asked him to submit no-objection certificates (NOCs) of the residential schemes to him.
He said when he refused to oblige the nazim’s “illegal” demands, Mr Wahla shouted at him and asked him not to come to the office. Ijaz states that he informed the DCO about the incident, saying that under the Punjab Private Site Development Schemes (Regulations) Rules of 2005 private developers or owners will submit an application for a scheme to the tehsil municipal administration (TMA). The TMA will get the scheme scrutinised through a scrutiny committee.
The tehsil nazim also wrote to the LG secretary on July 4, accusing Ijaz of creating hurdles in the smooth working of the TMA. He sought his transfer from the TMA. The secretary transferred Ijaz on the recommendation of the tehsil nazim.
Mr Wahla told Dawn that Ijaz had disobeyed him, so he had been transferred. He said being tehsil nazim he was empowered to approve or disapprove any residential scheme. He said Al Atta Housing Scheme and Green Town were developed in Jahanian many years ago and most of the plots in these towns had been sold. When asked there was a scrutiny committee convened by the DCO as per rules, he said, “Rules permit me to approve or disapprove the residential schemes.” He also admitted that he had shouted at Ijaz upon his refusal to follow his orders.
Ijaz says that the Jehanian tehsil nazim had asked him for some illegal tasks, but he insisted on following the legal procedure.
The DCO said that according to rules a scrutiny committee took decisions about issuing NOCs to residential schemes. He said as per rules no one could develop residential schemes or towns if he had the land less than 160 acres.
