LAHORE: Despite an announcement regarding dissolution of the Task Forces, out of the existing 27, the Punjab government has so far denotified only six, while three have been merged into one, and reportedly, the money-saving measure is yet to bear fruits since the perks are still being dished out to the men behind these Forces.Secondly, contrary to oft repeated claim that these forces were working on honorary basis, except three chairmen – Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif (TF on Qabza Mafia), Hamza Shahbaz Sharif (TF on Jail Reforms) and Nadeem Babar (TF on Energy) – every chairman has been given vehicle and petrol, while Rs 0.69 million have been paid each month to seven persons since the constitution of forces in 2008 and first quarter of 2009.Dissolved TFs include Administrative and Financial Efficiency (headed by S. Farogh Naveed, and Wiqar A. Khan as member) two on Promotion of Sports (Niva Usman Umer and Ijaz Gull), Promotion of Sports in Urban and Rural Areas (Ch Muhammad Yaqoob), Introduction of Information Technology System in District Level Offices (Nadeem Haque) and Pakistani Community in the UK (Zubair Gull). Out of these, only Ch Yaqoob was working on honorary basis though was given 1300CC car and 200 litres petrol per month, while the rest were having salaried chairmen. However, another paid Chairman of Task Force on Information Technology System District Level Offices Nadeem Haq is still on job, while like others, he is having car and petrol.
Moreover, 14 chairmen each have been allowed to use 1300CC cars and allocation of 200 litres petrol, while four each have 1000CC vehicles and 150 litres petrol every month.
There is one exception of friend-cum-foe of the PML-N ex-Governor Punjab Ghulam Mustafa Khar – Chairman TF on Wild Life – who was given Land Rover 2500CC, and facility of unlimited usage of petrol.S. Farogh Naveed and Wiqar A. Khan each were given two 1600CC vehicles, allowed 340 litres petrol per month, and pay of Rs 1,95,0000, which made them the highest salaried persons in this regard. Their task force was notified on July 16, 2008, and dissolved on August 20, 2010. However, no report of their Task Force is available with the Services and General Administration Department. “We did ask, but were sternly told that it had been submitted to the Chief Minister,” confided an S&GAD officer, seeking anonymity – Nation
