LAHORE - Taking strict view of the corruption, malpractices and manipulation in the records allegedly carried out by the officers related to the local governments, the relevant ministry has sought report from Town Municipal Officers (TMOs) from across the Punjab province.

The action through Provincial Minister Local Government and Community Development Manshaullah Butt has come about following media reports about the large scale corruption and tampering with the employees’ record which, the report said, had been going on over the last many years which has come to the limelight at a time when the elected public representatives are about to take over the LG administration after the elapse of seven years.

In light of the reports, the government has decided to hold a crackdown on those corrupt officers of the town municipals to take them to task for the illegalities and irregularities allegedly committed by them. The ministry has also decided to take action against the officers and the workers who have been holding office at a station beyond the stipulated time set under the law to serve at one place. A committee is also being set up to take stock of all such matters when the minster concerned will also undertake surprise visit to every town and union councils to identify the corrupt officers and refer action against them.

Manshaullah Butt said that his ministry was also secretly collecting information about the assets of the town employees so that the difference of their current and the original assets could be ascertained. The cases of the corrupt officers and the employees will be entrusted to the Anti-Corruption Establishment for further action, he added.