LAHORE – Though it was an event only to attend either by some applicants or by independent observers, the teachers were ordered to ensure their presence in front of 90-Shaarey-i-Quaid-e-Azam (Chief Minister’s Secretariat) by 1pm to attend the computerized balloting of Yellow Cabs. Instead, the ceremony was started at about 5.30pm on Thursday.
Worried and exhausted and standing in front of the gated 90- Shaarey-i-Quaid-e-Azam, they were about 100 in number, both male and female, and had come from different educational institutions of the City to fill the chairs in the main hall of the CM’s office. Total 180 chairs were placed there. The rest of the gathering consisted of media persons and employees of the Transport Department. The chairs were empty after the completion of the balloting of two cities, Lahore and Nankana.
This time Mr Ishaq Dar, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, was the chief guest.
Total 6,200 candidates were selected through the computerized balloting held in its third phase. The winners would be delivered Suzuki Mehran and Bolan after complete scrutiny of their documents. It is expected that another balloting would also be held to complete the process of handing over 20,000 Cabs.
“I am teacher and standing here from last four hours,” a teacher told this scriber standing at the entry point of the gate who requested not to publish his name. “We were asked first to enter into the CM house by 3pm and when some of us entered they (security officers of the CM office) called us back, put us in a queue and made tick mark at front of every name of the teacher then we were allowed to enter by 4pm,” he regretted.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Ishaq Dar appreciated the CM’s efforts for introducing projects like Ashyana Housing Society, Yellow Cab scheme, Laptops for youth and others. He said that due to the negligence of the federal government the foreign debts were touching Rs12000 billion and there was no electricity and gas in the country, he held.
Talking to media, he said that PML-N as an opposition party was finalising the three names for chief election commissioner while the government would also present three names and constitutional committee would nominate the chief election commissioner from the six proposed names, he added. Terming it historic and democratic, Mr Dar favoured the 20th amendment.