Contractor accused of manhandling complainant

CHITRAL: A contractor manhandled a resident of Parabeg for lodging a complaint against alleged irregularities in schemes carried out by the village council.

Khairuddin Shadani told ChitralToday on phone that about eight schemes worth over Rs1.2 million had been carried out under the village council (VC) in the Parabeg village of Lotkoh.

He alleged that the funds were not used transparently and work on some schemes were left incomplete or abandoned on different excuses and the funds misused.

The schemes included construction of culverts, link roads, water channels and small bridges etc. Mr Shadani said he lodged a complaint with the prime minister’s citizens portal and in reply an investigation was ordered.

But without probing the projects, officials at the local level reported the complaint as resolved. Upon his protest, the inquiry was reopened on the direction of the PM’s complaint cell.

He said assistant director local government Chitral Fahim Jalal sent Engineer Sardar Ali to the village on Wednesday for an investigation.

The contractor was also present among scores of other people, including the VC nazim and secretary, when the engineer visited the village.

After inquiring about two schemes, when the engineer decided to leave Mr Shadani asked him to also visit the remaining six project sites.

At this, he alleged, the contractor started using foul language and then tried to assault him.
People present on the occasion save me from any physical harm, he added.

Mr Shadani said when he brought the matter under the notice of the local government assistant director, he promised to conduct a fresh probe into all the schemes.

He also alleged that the VC secretary and nazim and the contractor connived to sabotage the process of inquiry.

 

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