RAWALPINDI - The residents of Dhama Syedan have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to take notice of misuse of development funds allocated for renovation of road from Dhama Mor to Imambargah.
Paying heed towards longstanding demand of tens of thousands of area residents, PML-N MPA Chaudhry Sarfraz Afzal provided Rs 4.1 million for carpeting the road from Dhama Mor to Imambargah.
However, a PML-N local Nazim of Union Council Dhaman Seydan and the Secretary to MPA misused the development funds by influencing the contractor to make happy their near and dear ones by constructing four streets in different areas of UC with the development fund that was actually allocated for repairing the road, leaving a big portion of the road in a shambles. Because of that, the commuters, business community and public have been in trouble.
The area residents asked CM and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to pay a surprise visit to the areas to see how their local leaders misused national kitty, lurching scores of people in mess. They also leashed out the erroneous policies of PML-N league local leaders, MNAs and MPAs, and said that they would not vote for them in upcoming elections if the situation remains the same.
A well-informed source, who has an important role in UC Dhama politics, also revealed to TheNation on Sunday that Rs 4.1 million were allocated by MPA Chaudhry Sarfraz Afzal only for construction of 2-km road from Dhama Mor to Imambargah whereas the streets renovation was not included in it.
Unfortunately, a former Nazim and Secretary to MPA pressed the contractor to construct the streets in Kohsar Colony and other three areas. In this way, all the funds ended and a long portion of road could not be constructed, he maintained.
On the other hand, the condition of the road is very bad as pit holes of various radii have developed on it leading to a number of accidents in the area besides hampering business activities and traffic movement. In case of a little drizzle, water gushes out in the pat holes damaging the precious stuff of traders.
According to a shopkeeper, a school going child severely maimed when he lost balance due to potholes on the road near Pathan Tandoor. And it has become routine matter that school going children and other babies who came with their families for shopping fell in the ditches, he added.
Jahangir Mirza, a retired employee from PIA, said that the area residents have been facing hardship owing to the incomplete road. He said that owing to ramshackle condition of the road, traffic accidents occurred daily. He said that he along with other notable of the areas staged protest demo and also approached with PML-N big wigs to draw their attention towards the ongoing injustice but in vain. He demanded CM and Chaudhry Nisar to pay a surprise visit to the area to see how national kitty was misused by their local leaders.
“I bought new Suzuki VXR car a couple of days ago. Last night it skid of and struck in deep pit and damaged badly. Who is responsible for this loss and who will pay me for this damage? The government should repair the road” said Asif Zia, a business man in stressed manner. Two trucks were stuck in deep pits in separate road mishaps on Friday morning, he added.
He also urged Chief Minister Punjab to hold a partial inquiry into the fraud an bring the responsible to book.
Similarly other affected residents pointed out that the potholes on the part of road have dramatically increased, to the extent that commuting from their areas was becoming unbearable as most of the cars were now diverting to alternative routes, which were hardly better.
PML-N MPA Chaudhry Sarfraz Afzal (0300-5006514) and former Nazim UC Dhama Chaudhry Ilyas (0300-8545776), however, did not receive their cell phones despite several attempts made by this scribe to know their point of views about the issue.