NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, June 12: A man committed self-immolation outside the press club here on Tuesday to press the education authorities to reinstate him as Naib Qasid.
Wazir Ali Rajpar, 36, of the village of Talib Rajpar sprinkled petrol on his body and set himself on fire. He received 60 per cent burn injuries.
He was taken to a local hospital from where he was referred to Hyderabad because of his critical condition.
Wazir Ali was observing a token hunger strike, demanding reinstatement as Naib Qasid. He had also tried to commit self-immolation on May 22 but police foiled the attempt.
He told reporters that he had been working as Naib Qasid in the education department since 1996 and was paid salary till January 2006 in cash.
On Feb 24, 2006, a department’s clerk Mazhar Umrani took him to National Bank’s Naushahro Feroze branch, saying that now his salary would be deposited in his bank account. An account was opened and his signatures were taken on some documents.
He said that on July 1, 2006, the clerk took his cheque book and service card from him, saying that his services had been terminated he was a temporary employee.
He said he had complained to then DEO Fehmida Pathan who told him to wait and she would do something, but all in vain.
In 2010, he received a notice from the NBP for payment of outstanding amount Rs28,000 of the Rs80,000 loan he had taken from the bank, he said, adding that he had not taken any loan from the bank.
When he went for inquiry, the bank told him that a loan had been obtained in his name and instalments were being paid through the department. In 2010, the department informed the bank that Wazir had died.
He said he had approached the EDO and the other education department authorities and filed a petition in Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, which was under process.
When he first attempted self-immolation on May 22, Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq formed a three-member inquiry committee, headed by District Education Officer Miss Ammat. It was to complete inquiry within three days.
Ms Ammat told Dawn that the committee after an inquiry had concluded that Wazir Rajpar had never worked in the education department because no record regarding his appointment as Naib Qasid was available.
She said the committee had submitted its report to the secretary education.
Manager of the Naushahro Feroze branch of NBPAli Asghar Channa said the bank had received a letter/certificate with the signature of the then DEO that Rajpar was permanent employee working as Naib Qasid.
He said documents formalities were completed before disbursement of loan and added that then education department head clerk Rustam Brohi was his guarantor.
Mr Channa said that when the bank was informed in 2010 by the department that Wazir had died, they sent a letter on his residential address for confirmation and came to know that he was alive. He said the loan had been adjusted by the department officials in cash.