District Council chief transferred over billboards embezzlement issue

Rawalpindi : On the recommendations of Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi, Secretary Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Punjab Dr Muhammad Irshad has transferred Chief Officer (CO) District Council Fazal-e-Akram Khan on the alleged embezzlement of millions of rupees in billboards recovery.

Secretary (LG&CD) through a Notification Number/LCS (ADMN)-1(345)/2005 has directed Chief Officer (CO) District Council to report Punjab Local Government Board immediately. According to Notification issued by the Secretary (LG&CD) Punjab that Fazal-e-Akram Khan Chief Officer of District Council, Rawalpindi is hereby transferred on administrative grounds and directed to report to Punjab Local Government Board, Lahore with immediate effect vide ‘Deputy Commissioner, Rawalpindi letter No. 87/PS dated on 10-08-2023.

The Secretary ((LG&CD)) Punjab has given Ahmed Bilal Makhdoom the Additional Charge of Chief Officer of District Council, Rawalpindi.

The main character of this recovery embezzlement Raja Muhammad Hafeez working in District Council, Rawalpindi as an Assistant Superintendent has once again managed this issue silently and avoided any kind of action against him. He has not only managed this issue but silently taken orders of Superintendent (Planning) in back dates from former Chief Officer (CO) Fazal-e-Akram Khan on Saturday.

Assistant Superintendent Raja Muhammad Hafeez who was the front man of former Chief Officer (CO) District Council managed each and everything silently.

Some five days back when this issue came into limelight, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Hasan Waqar Cheema taken quick action against the alleged embezzlement of millions of rupees in billboards recovery and ordered responsible officials of the District Council to present a detailed record as how they could do recovery without any tender or contract.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi who is also the Administrator of the District Court has directed Additional Deputy Commissioner (Finance and Planning) Rameesha Javed to investigate the matter and present a detailed report.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi immediately stopped the billboard’s recovery in the limits of the District Council at that time.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Hasan Waqar Cheema told ‘The News’ that they have decided to publish the tender of billboards. “I have directed the authorities concerned to properly public tender of billboards,” he claimed. I have also initiated investigation against corrupt officers and I will never spare them at any cost, he warned.

The Deputy Commissioner also directed to strictly monitor Raja Muhammad Hafeez who is working as an Assistant Superintendent in District Council, Rawalpindi. Raja Muhammad Hafeez is looking into all issues including the tax collection issues of billboards of the District Council, Rawalpindi.

It was the first time in the history of District Council Rawalpindi officers, were doing recovery of over 1,000 billboards installed in different localities of their jurisdiction without any tender or contract. The District Council officers were recovering money for over seven months but without any tender or contract. Hundreds of billboards were also installed here in several housing societies in the limits of District Council, Rawalpindi. The officers were taking a big amount from these societies as well in the name of recovery.

Over 1,000 illegally installed billboards in the limits of the District Council were not only a life risk for pedestrians and motorists but also caused a loss of millions of rupees to the revenue department.

Some billboard owners on condition of anonymity said that there was an underhand dealing between billboard owners and government officers. The government officers Particularly Raja Muhammad Hafeez of the District Council were creating hurdles in proper tendering. They want to run all matters without proper tendering, the billboard owners said. The billboard owners also claimed that corrupt officers of the District Council demanded huge amounts of money as ‘commission’ to issue tender.

Similarly, in back dates former Chief Officer District Council, Rawalpindi through an Officer Order No.972 that the following officials of District Council, Rawalpindi are hereby deputed to conduct survey of illegal buildings falling within the limits of District Council, Rawalpindi.

The government officers named Jamshed Rasool, Abdul Hakeem, Multan Khan, Zulfiqar Hussain, Qamar Abbas and Mirza Gohar Tufail are directed to conduct survey of illegal buildings in their allotted areas and submit comprehensive report through ‘Superintendent (Planning) Raja Muhammad Hafeez’. Moreover, Superintendent (Planning) Raja Muhammad Hafeez is hereby directed to supervise the above mentioned staff.