Action against 'corrupt' patwaris triggers strike.

BAHAWALNAGAR -- Revenue patwaris went on strike for an indefinite period on Monday against the suspension of their two colleagues from their job and the dismissal of the third one on corruption charges.

They gheraod Assistant Commissioner (AC) Arshad Virk's office and chanted slogans against him. They threatened to continue their strike till the reinstatement of their colleagues.

District General Secretary of Anjuman-i-Patwarian Malik Shahnawaz and tehsil president Khalil Jatt alleged patwaris Gulab Ali and Muhammad Hanif were suspended from job and Abdullah was dismissed on false allegations when they refused to pay bribes to the AC. They alleged that the AC dismissed Abdullah without hearing him. Tehsil General Secretary Muhammad Akram said that no recovery amounts would be submitted to the Treasury Office.

Riaz Hussain, registry moharar of the sub-registrar office, alleged that the AC paid a surprise visit to the sub-registrar office on March 3 and took the record of the office from November last to March 3 in his custody without registering it at the official record. The AC returned the record on the order of the ADC(R) after a month when Riaz filed a written complaint about it.

He alleged 60 registries...