'Guilty MPA thrashes irrigation officer

LAHORE An MPA belonging to the ruling political party Pakistan Muslim League-N has thrashed an officer of the Irrigation and Power Department, who has dared to check the tempered Mogha (water outlet from canal) irrigating worthy Members lands. The Punjab government raises embroidered slogans about curtailing water-theft, but mostly it has been found out that it is the bigwigs with political backing indulging in the practice besides tempering with the water outlets. This was another case, where PP-275 MPA Ch Mumtaz Ahmed Jajja from Chak No 68-D.B, Bangla, Tehsil Yazman, Bahawalpur was found guilty of water-theft. Jajja was also an MNA from 1985 to 1988 part of dictator Zia-ul-Haqs Shoora. As per sources, Assistant Director of Provincial Monitoring and Implementation Unit (Mobile Monitoring) of the Irrigation and Power Department, Shakeel Ahmed went to check Mogha number 3345 on canal 2LDB since there were complaints of tempering the Mogha besides water-theft by illegally channelling water through pipes from the canal. According to the application and report, which has been submitted with the local police station and forwarded to the Department, when Shakeel Ahmed was checking the Mogha, Jajja 'summoned him and without listening to him, started indulging in name- calling prior to thrashing the officer. Dont you dare to act honestly with me. I had had enough of you earlier as well, admonished the MPA, whose an earlier application seeking allowance of more water for his lands had been turned down by the Department upon report by Shakeel Ahmed; since it did not meet the criterion, quoted an officer, who also added that the Department is working as per the Chief Ministers directions for rectifying the tempered Moghas and controlling water-theft sans considering any influence. Jajja was of the view that people had contacted him and complained about Shakeel by accusing the latter of demanding money. I called him to tell that he is blackmailing people and causing harassment in the area, said Jajja, while denying all accusations mentioned in the reports. I have neither abused him nor thrashed; rather I have advised him to mend his ways, otherwise people can hurt him, said the MPA.