MANDI BAHAUDDIN-Residents of the district have expressed anger over increase in petroleum products and questioned the tall government claims regarding economic stability.
During a survey conducted by this reporter on Friday, they pointed out that during the past six months, the government had increased POL prices up to 60 percent which has adversely impacted farmers and labourers economy who are already facing hardships to make both ends meet.
They said instead of increasing POL prices, utilities charges, and prices of other articles of daily-use, government should reduce its expenditure by observing frugality and austerity.
They said besides price hike, there are mafias in form of transport adda, parking stand and many other groups who operate almost in every town, city and metropolitans and on roads to extort money from public in name of adda fee, parking fee and tool tax.
Even the government departments do not spare innocent citizens from exploiting. Police and revenue officials are at top who fleece public. In courts one has to pay to court staff to get the job done.
The public regretted that the government seems to have no control over the anti-social elements. They urged rulers to take notice of common and poor people's plight and take appropriate measures to facilitate their life.
TEHSILDAR, THREE OTHER FRAUDSTERS HELD
Meanwhile, an anti-corruption team arrested Tehsildar Phalia Mehmood Bhutti and three others for preparing a bogus land transfer deed. Regional director anti-corruption Fareed Ahmed said that two brothers - Zulifqar Ali and Abid Hussain gave an application that a land mafia gang in collaboration with the tehsildar Phalia have occupied their land worth millions of rupees by preparing a bogus land transfer deed.
On the application DD Investigation Muhammad Qasim and circle officer Mandi Bahauddin Muhammad Atif held an enquiry. During the investigation, thumbs impressions on the transfer deed were found bogus by the Punjab forensic science laboratory.