Faisalabad dist council session ends in chaos
FAISALABAD, Dec 3: The Faisalabad district council session was prorogued amid chaos here on Monday.
The session held in Al-Fateh Sports Complex for the elections of six market committee members was adjourned for Tuesday after just 50 minutes into the proceedings. Naib Nazim Afzal Sahi failed to placate the angry members and present even a single item on the agenda before the house for approval.
It may be noted that it was decided in the session held on Nov 30 which was presided over by Nazim Chaudhry Zahid Nazir that members of the market committees of the district would be elected in the Monday’s session. But the exchange of hot words between the rival councillors marred the proceedings.
When Mr Sahi tried to put the agenda before the house for the election of market committee members, councillors, especially elected on labour and peasant seats, rival councillors opposed the move to elect some non-elected people on the committees.
They were of the view that the step to elect favourites and relatives of the bureaucrats should be stopped because it was an insult of the elected representatives and the house.
The members of a recently established group — Justice Forum — comprising lawyers were vociferous during the session who even refused to listen to any request by Mr Sahi.
Women councillors also raised objections soon after the start of the session for not allowing them to speak on various issues. They were requested by Mr Sahi to keep quiet but they refused to do so.
Another group comprising Nazims of rural areas of the district also joined them and paid no heed to Mr Sahi’s requests.
A majority of councillors were demanding that all the members of the market committees should be elected from them otherwise their protest would continue.
Sensing the situation, he announced that the session would be held again on Tuesday at the same place with the same agenda.