MULTAN-The lawyers went on strike and boycotted courts proceedings against the shifting of district and civil courts to the newly-constructed judicial complex here on Tuesday.
The staff shifted the furniture, documents, record and other stuff to judicial complex during the night between Monday and Tuesday as a result of which the court work took place in new court rooms at the complex. The project was launched 14 years and the lawyers claim that the complex still lacks all facilities including their chambers.
The members of District Bar Association Multan (DBAM) staged a sit-in at Chowk Kutchehry and shouted slogans against the decision regarding shifting of the courts. Severe traffic jam took place around Chowk Kutchehry due to the sit-in of the lawyers. Earlier, the DBAM members held a general body meeting and marched towards the High Court building. The black coats forcibly opened gates of High Court and disrupted the court work.
Talking to the journalists on this occasion, the lawyers warned that the strike would continue till acceptance of their demands. They pointed out that the judicial complex did not have any facilities for the lawyers or clients. “Not even a single chamber of lawyers has been constructed at the complex. How can we do our work there. It’s impossible. We’ll not go there,” they declared.
MEPCO STAFFER WARNED
AGAINST OVER, FAKE BILLING
Stringent action will be taken against Mepco officials involved in over or fake billing and connections of the defaulters will not be restored until clearance of the outstanding dues. Mepco Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engr Muhammad Akram Chaudhry declared while talking to a delegation of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad here at his office on Tuesday.
He asked the farmers to pay their electricity bills on time and in return Mepco would extend all-out facilities to them. He said that issuance of correct bills to the consumers is basic responsibility of the Mepco and no negligence in this regard would be tolerated. He said that the Mepco would not only issue correct bills to those consumers, who received a fake or over one, but also take strict action against the official involved in issuance of the wrong bill. He disclosed the seniority lists for the installation of pending tube-well connections have been displayed at divisional offices and website of Mepco. “The connections will be installed according to the lists,” he added.
Leader of Kissan Ittehad Ch Anwar said that the farmers would pay their bills in time if they received correct ones. He added that the farmers would also pay one instalment of their outstanding bills with current month’s bill. He asked Mepco administration to remove the power transformers of defaulters, saying the Ittehad would not support them.