TOBA TEK SINGH
More than 50 employees of the Building Department have not been paid for the last five months.
Pakistan Workers Federation District President Mustafa Paras and Secretary Rana Jaffar told the media that 27 employees of the Punjab Building Department and 25 of the District Building Department had not been paid salaries for the last five months with the excuse of unavailability of funds.
They regretted that starvation like situation had been created in the houses of these employees mainly due to the indifference and negligence of the high-ups concerned. They demanded the authorities of both the departments should release salaries of the employees immediately.
PROJECT COMPLETION DEMANDED: The Majlis-e-Mufad Aama demanded early completion of Trimmu-Toba water supply project to resolve potable water shortage in the city.
The demand was made through a resolution passed during a meeting held with MMA President Arif Qazi in the chair. The MMA also demanded relocation of fruit and vegetable market to outside city. The MMA also demanded provision of free medicines in DHQ Hospital and action against parking contractor at the hospital for overcharging.
The participants also urged the Railways Minister to approve stopover of Quetta Express train and restart Badr express from Shorkot to Lahore. Former district nazim Muhammad Ashfaq, JI leader Dr Zahid Sattar, PPP District Secretary Zulfiqar Zulfi, Sunni Tehreek District Ameer Maulana Munem Siddiqi, JUI-F District Ameer Maulana Talha Abbassi, former DBA President Nazir Raza, Maulana Shamas Qardri, Mian Mazhar, Mian Saud Ahmad and Maulana Abdul Manan spoke on the occasion.
FARMERS PROTEST: A farmers’ delegation from Gogera canal area led by PML-N MPA Mian Muhammad Rafiq met with Faisalabad irrigation chief engineer Khawar Nazir at Faisalabad and protested against decision of Irrigation Department to construct a new link canal which will put the water from Gogera Canal to Rakh Canal.
The delegation apprised the CE that if the decision was implemented, the farmers will stage protest as their lands will be deprived of their share of water. The CE told the delegation that he was unable to help them as the decision was made on the direction of the Punjab chief minister. Ahmad Naeem Fateh from the delegation said that CE did not show them CM’s order in this regard. He added that within a week a convention of thousands of farmers of all three subdivisions of Gogera canal will be called to decide further line of action.