TOBA TEK SINGH/HAFIZABAD-The employees and retirees of various government departments, amidst skyrocketing price hike, have protested against non-issuance of salaries, scholarship, marriage grant etc. out of benevolent funds being deducted from their salaries.
The employees of Municipal Committee took out a rally to protest against the non-payment of salaries for two months. They marched from Municipal Complex to Shahbaz Chowk where Employees Union leaders Abid Dastagir and Muhammad Sharif announced that if their salaries were not paid within next two days they will be forced to set up a protest camp at Shahbaz Chowk. The Employees Unions of other towns of the district will also join their protest, they said.
At Municipal Complex, Municipal Committee chairman Ghulam Nabi told the employees that MC’s Assistant Director (audit) had been transferred two months back due to which the salaries bills of the municipal staff were not being prepared. A number of other financial issues were also being faced by his office, he said. He added that he repeatedly wrote to provincial authorities for the appointment of assistant director (audit) but so far no attention had been given to his requests.
Likewise, the employees and retirees in Hafizabad said that for the past one year, no grant has been given to them. They called upon the government to order for the issuance of the cheques to them without further delay.
On the other side, a PTI leader said that PTI would knock out PML-N in the next general election and bury corruption, misappropriation and lawlessness.
District President Shoaib Hayat Tarar while addressing the office-bearers of youth wing, called upon them to spread in the district to muster up support for PTI in order to give crushing defeat to their opponents.
On the other side, prices of all the essential commodities including pulses, fruit and vegetables have gone up with the connivance of wholesale dealers and middlemen. Local consumers have called upon the administration to take stringent measures to bring down prices of all the commodities to provide relief for already burdened consumers during the forthcoming of Ramazan.
Meanwhile, the district administration announced the establishment of four Ramazan bazaars each in Hafizabad, Pindi Bhattian, Jalalpur Bhattian and Sukheke Mandi where the masses should be provided wheat flour, sugar, pulses, ghee, vegetables, fruit, poultry, beef and mutton at lower rates than prevalent in the open market. In this connection, a meeting of the administration was held here under the chairmanship of Acting DC Allah Ditta Warraich who directed the officers concerned to ensure availability of all the consumer items in the Ramazan Bazars and take stern action against those who charge over and above the fixed rates.
DOCS URGED TO SERVE PUBLIC: It is prime duty of the doctors and paramedical staff to be courteous towards patients as serving ailing humanity is not less than worship, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Rashed Irshad emphasised.
During his surprise visit to DHQ Hospital Hafizabad on Tuesday, he said that the government accords top priority to healthcare and has also equipped all the hospitals with best possible laboratories. It is, therefore, imperative for the medical staff to ensure best possible facilities to the patients, he stressed. He also checked the record of the hospital and directed the Administrative Officer to ensure better sanitary conditions and security arrangements in the hospital.
LAPTOPS DISTRIBUTION: As many as 370 male and female students, belonging to Hafizabad district were awarded laptops by Gujranwala Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Secretary Dr Mukhtar Ahmad.
While addressing the recipients, he stressed the need for positive utilisation of laptops for brightening their talents and career. He said that 115,000 brilliant students are being given laptops across Punjab under the vision of the Punjab Chief Minister for the promotion of education in the province.