BAHAWALPUR: Defunct Metropolitan Corporation’s former mayor Aqeel Najam Hashmi claims to have convened an emergency meeting of the councillors on Saturday (today) at the MC secretariat.

According to a notification of the Mayor’s secretariat, a meeting has been convened to consider an important agenda. The meeting notification issued with the signature of the mayor also carried a long list of the agenda. The items include discussion of the members who have been contacted to ensure their participation in the meeting.

The issues to be discussed include repairs, flooring, renovation of streets, pavements, roads and underground sewerage lines.

The former mayor says he is authorised to convene the meeting in view of the recent Supreme Court of Pakistan order and wants to pursue the welfare works to provide basic amenities to the citizens of Bahawalpur.

He warns that he will go for legal action if any official of the administration created hurdles.

All the members of the MC, he says, will ensure there is no mischief on part of the ruling party’s supporters. He says the PML-N does not believe in violence but if any of the meeting participants is subjected to violence or intimidation, they will contact the law enforcers and seek action.

On the other hand, the MC members belonging to the PTI have rejected the claims of the former mayor saying the government had annulled the local government institution and now preparations are under way to hold fresh LG elections in the country.

They maintain that the former LG institution has not been given any sort of relief nor has it been restored to such an extent that they should convene their meeting illegally.

They say such a meeting will be unlawful and there will be action against the meeting organisers. They also warn that if the MC properties and installations are damaged during the so-called meeting, the government will take action against the former mayor and other participants. Every institution, they say, will have to work under the ambit of law.

BUS SERVICE: A double-decker bus was relaunched in the city on Friday.

On the inaugural trip, children, their parents and teachers were taken to the city round during which they enjoyed sightseeing.

The bus has been relaunched on the initiative of Deputy Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia who directed the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to provide sightseeing facilities to the people, especially children.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner during a meting here declared former international hockey star Samiullah Khan district administration’s ambassador for Punjab government’s “Service at Doorstep” initiative. He said it would boost the service delivery project.

Samiullah who was given the title of flying horse, thanked the DC for the honour and offered his services for the cause of improving the sanitation standards in the city.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021