TOBA TEK SINGH – PML-N MPA Mian Muhammad Rafiq has blamed district accounts office staff for allegedly collecting 11 to 20 per cent bribe as ‘commission’ from the government employees for the clearance of their outstanding bills of salaries and allowances.
While addressing a press conference here Monday, he told that in 2000 at the time of start of devolution local government system, it was decided that all district governments will be awarded required amount by the Punjab government to pay their salaries and pensions but a mistake took place regarding Toba district government and estimate of award money was wrongly assessed much less.
He informed that as a result up to now Rs 360 million were still deficit in the requirement to clear outstanding salaries, bills and pensions while development of the district also remained stopped due to short of funds.
He stated that he repeatedly raised voice at Punjab assembly floor and with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif during last four years and demanded to fulfil requirement of the Toba district government after paying previous outstanding deficit and now when it had been decided to do the same, a first instalment of Rs 25 million had been released to the district government.
He added that it was pity that now when government employees and contractors visited district accounts office to get payment they were forced to pay bribe in the shape of commission at the rate of 11 to 20 percent.
He said he had also written to chief minister to take serious notice of this irregularity.
He urged all such people who paid bribe to district accounts office officials to contact him at the earliest in this regard so that their bribe money could be got retrieved from the staff back to them.