GUJRAT, Jan 26: Scores of Gujrat Tehsil Municipal Administration staffers on Saturday staged a demonstration and observed a complete strike against the alleged torture of their colleagues by a local builder and his ‘goons’ belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for removing illegal publicity boards along GT Road.

However, the district administration because of some alleged pressure from the provincial government high-ups is trying to resolve the matter through reconciliation.

The police are yet to lodge a case against the accused on the report of TMA official Umar Shuja.

Aurangzeb Butt, a local PML N leader, and his alleged goons on Thursday tortured a TMA team for removing the boards bearing the portraits of the Sharif brothers besides publicity material of some commercial plazas owned by Mr. Butt.

The entire TMA staff went on strike and gathered in the compound of the Gujrat municipal committee where they staged a demonstration against the torture of their colleagues and vowed to continue their protest drive till legal action against the accused.

The protesters also locked gates of the TMA headquarters as the reports were rife that a number of PML-N workers were planning to besiege the TMA offices to register their protest against the removal of the portraits of their leadership. Some back channel efforts by the administration made the political workers postpone their planned protest.

Later on, the protesting employees dispersed peacefully following an assurance by TMA administrator Sumair Ahmed Syed and other officials of the district administration for resolution of issue according to the demands of the municipal workers.

Official sources said District Coordination Officer Nawazish Ali had been making efforts to resolve the matter through reconciliation between TMA officials and the PML-N leader due to latter’s close association with Hamza Shahbaz.

The sources claimed the registration of a case was stopped due to the intervention of some higher authorities in the provincial metropolis.

Aurangzeb Butt would often sponsor some official programmes of the district administration whereas he also financed some health sector development projects in Gujrat and Gujranwala on the request of the respective officials.

An official of Gujrat Tehsil Municipal Administration said the accused party was conversion fee defaulter.

Sources said the TMA had already prepared a list of defaulter commercial plazas. Whenever notices to the effect were issued, the drive had to be stopped due to political interference, they said.