Print Print edition: 2018-02-26

Aitzaz terms officers' strike 'a rebellion'

Published February 26, 2018 Updated February 26, 2018 12:00am

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan has warned that officers/bureaucrats strike in Punjab over former DG LDA Ahad Cheema's arrest and 11 days physical remand to NAB on corruption charges is a rebellion against the state institution. Talking to the media here on Sunday the famed lawyer and former federal interior minister demanded that all those on strike should be arrested and cases lodged against them for violating service rules and rebelling against the state.
He said the officers on strike seem to be the apples of Punjab government's eye; they are spoiled brats and this is only the second time in history of Pakistan that public servants have gone on a strike. He said, the current situation in the civil government is synonymous to a mutiny.
"The Punjab and federal governments are both part of this (strike)." .The PPP leader speculated that the Punjab civil servants and officers have gone on strike following the CM's order otherwise he should have issued a show cause notice to Ahad Cheema and register cases against those observing the strike but it wasn't done," he said. The Rangers have also checked security of the NAB Lahore office building at Thokar Niaz Beg and deployed Rangers personnel outside the NAB office. More are expected to join them. Meanwhile, the Board of Directors of Quaid-e-Azam Thermal (Pvt) Ltd ("QATPL") met at the Company's Office under the Chairmanship of Arif Saeed, Chairman BoD QATPL. The Board considered the matters pertaining to the management of the Company in the wake of detention of Ahad Khan Cheema, CEO QATPL. The Board inter alia observed that Ahad Cheema has served QATPL with distinction and merit, he and his team steered complex procurement process which has resulted in saving of billions of rupees to the public exchequer. Cheema displayed high professional competence, honesty and excellent leadership in the timely execution of 1180MW Bhikki power plant. The Board reviewed the Company's operations and expressed its satisfaction on overall progress and testing and commissioning phase of the project.