HAFIZABAD -  The employees of Hafizabad Highways Division protested against non-payment of salaries for the last three months.

The protestors, led by Apca chairman Nasrullah Hunjra, also took out a rally and staged a sit-in in front of the Highways office. They demanded the authorities concerned to look into the grave situation and release their salaries as they have run out of money.

Meanwhile, the contractual sanitary workers of Hafizabad Municipal Committee also took out a rally for not increasing their wages.

The protesting staffers, led by CBA chairman Ishaq Khokhar, also staged a sit-in at Fawara Chowk where they chanted slogans against the authorities and demanded increase in their wages.

ADMIN URGED FOR LAND STATE RETRIEVE: Villagers of Nawan Shar (Tehsil Pindi Bhattian) called on the administration to get the state-owned land retrieved from land mafia.

Muhammad Yaseen and dozens of villagers submitted complaints to the Deputy Commissioner, stating they had informed the administration in 2013 that some influential landlords with the connivance of circle patwari Rasulpur Tarar and circle girdawar have occupied the state-owned land illegally. But the authorities have not taken any action for retrieval of land, they said.

Meanwhile, revenue officer of Gujranwala division directed the Hafizabad Deputy Commissioner to retrieve the land of graveyards, Katchi Abadies, Auqaf Land and “Shamlat deh” from the illegal occupants and take legal action against them. But due to political influence, the authorities have failed to take any action against the accused.

Meanwhile, the staff of the Market Committee would be held accountable if they were found monopolising the auction of fruit and vegetables in the Sabzi Mandi Hafizabad.

Acting Deputy Commissioner A D Warraich along with DPO Sardar Ghias Gul visited Sabzi Mandi early in the morning to see the auction process of fruit and vegetables. They expressed their satisfaction over the transparent auction but directed the Secretary Market Committee Aamir Ilyas Chatha to strictly monitor the auction process so as to ensure availability of fruit and vegetables at reasonable rates particularly during this holy month.

Meanwhile, the district police have prepared a comprehensive security plan to ensure peaceful atmosphere in the district during this month. In this connection, 2,000 police constables and private security guards have been deputed to take vigilant eye over the suspects near 1356 mosques and imambarghas in the district.

The DPO said that all the sensitive places are being monitored round the clock through the CCTV cameras in the control room and patrolling by the COPs has been increased at sehri, iftari and taraveeh timings. He directed the SHOs to personally supervise the patrolling and also continue search operations at sensitive places particularly railway stations, bus stand and entry and exit points of motorway. He particularly requested the local ulema not to utter a single word against the Muslims of other sects for maintaining interfaith harmony in the area.