“It seems as if the Jacobabad has been destroyed in the war,” Commissioner remarked.
From Our Correspondent
Jacobabad Sindh
The district administration of Jacobabad organized a ceremony to on Friday January 13, 2023 to mark the 211th birth anniversary of the founder of Jacobabad Brigadier General John Jacob.
The anniversary program, held at the local gymkhana club, was however cut short after the Divisional Commissioner Larkana Ghanwar Khan Leghrai talked in his address about the ruination of the historic city due to corruption. He severely criticized all the district government officials including the DC for corruption.
“The city of Jacobabad has been ruined, and it seems as if the has been destroyed in the war,” Commissioner said.
He said that from Assistant Commissioner to Peon, they are sucking the blood of the poor citizens. “Illegal markets have been built on the plots of the municipal committee and state land worth billions of rupees have been illegally occupied by lands grabbers,” he lamented.
Commissioner said that millions of rupees have been released by Sindh government for the repair and maintenance of the city roads, but all the roads are destroyed.
“Jacobabad city does not look the John Jacob’s city,” Commissioner remarked.
He also criticized the teachers and said they prefer to become servants of the influential personalities instead of educating their students in the schools.
Moreover, he said, the revenue department has become the most corrupt. “The assistant commissioner, mukhtiarkar and peon, even though they are Sindhis, they take away the breath of those who come to their office. The blood of the people is being sucked.”
He said that the government gave a subsidy of Rs.20 billion, but the people seem to be struggling for flour.
He directed deputy commissioner Jacobabad to utilize the subsidy on releasing of flour to poor people instead of favoring the flour mill owners and food officers.
He said that livelihood is in Lord’s hand, jobs and postings are the temporary thing, therefore sources of bribery should be stopped and in this regard DC should play his role.
He said that DCs and other officers must prevent themselves to facilitate the politically referenced persons. “The postings and transfers are the routine matters of the officials. One day they are here, tomorrow they will be posted somewhere else.”
There was pin drop silence among the employees during the address of the commissioner. Deputy Commissioner Jacobabad Muhammad Yousuf Shaikh cut short the scheduled programs after the Commissioner’s address. He had planned first ever conference on Gen. John Jacob who was born on January 11, 1812 and developed a small town of Khangarh from 1842 onwards. He built roads, water reservoirs, irrigation system, border security system, and introduced town planning and institutionalized all the systems. As a result of his efforts, a small settlement of 100 scattered houses turned into a town of 12000 to 15000 souls by the 1850-51. Lord Dalhousie had named this town as Jacobabad as recognition of John Jacob’s services. Gen. John Jacob died of fever on December 5, 1858 and at the time of his death the population of Jacobabad was around 30, 000. He was laid to rest in a local graveyard. His residence is still preserved and is used for Deputy Commissioner’s residence.
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