LAHORE: Due to the inattention and apathy of the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and the Lahore district administration, the culture of hiring private Munshis in patwar houses located in the provincial capital has started to develop rapidly, Profit learnt here on Wednesday.
A survey conducted by Profit revealed that most of the Patwar Khanas in the city, including Tawwakhana Chand Rai, Chungh, Ichhra, Mozang, Dolukhurd, Dolu-kalan, Ker Kalan, Gajumta, Sattukatla, Amarsadhu, Pekhewal, Kot Lakhpat, Bela Basti Ram, Khoi Meeran, Shahdara, Shahzada, Jhalke, Kamahan, Gurumangat etc. Patwaris have hired private munshis who have been “busy extorting” money from the public.
Most of the applicants who visited Patwar Khanas for acquisition of land documents, mutation and registry of property complained that Munshis were present in Patwar Khanas as frontmen of Patwaris and demanded money for processing each paper.
However, a senior officer of the Board of Revenue informed that several times orders had been issued to all patwaris to keep government records away from private munshis and ban their entry.
“Most of the field staff of the Anti-Corruption Department and the district administration are in collusion with these patwaris due to which they never implement the orders,” he claimed.
However, when the district administration was contacted in this regard, it was learned that Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue Dr Mujtaba Bharwana had arrested private persons from Patwar Khana Satuktala who were working as private secretaries.
The spokesperson of the district administration informed Profit that two persons were working as Munshis in the absence of Patwari against whom an FIR has been registered.
“The concerned Patwari has also been suspended. A crackdown is being done against the private Munshis whereas the Patwar Khanas are being checked,” he maintained.
