LAHORE: The Punjab bureaucracy submitting a ‘charter of demand’ to the Punjab government has demanded the formation of a judicial-like tribunal for their constitutional protection following the arrest of former Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general by the National Accountability in the Ashiana Housing scheme scam. Through the charter of demands, the bureaucracy demanded the government that probe against any civil servants should be conducted through special tribunal comprising senior bureaucrats on the order of chief secretary. After the investigation by the special tribunal, the case of civil servants should be sent to NAB or other trial institution, according to the charter of demand. They asked the government to provide legal team and legal assistance in case against any civil servant. “Apology should be offered over the misconduct with Maqbool Ahmed Dhawla, Aftab Cheema, Muhammad Ali, Waseem Ajmal, Amir Aqiq Khan, and Safdar Virk.” Besides asking the government to add executive allowance to their salaries, they also refused to accept any orders issued from Chief Minister’s House and other political parties and said the orders should be sent through chief secretary and Punjab Police inspector general. Referring to the arrest of Ahad Cheema, they were of the opinion that the NAB should arrest those involved in corrupt practices but should withhold the dignity of that person. They demanded legislation to implement their demands. Earlier in the day, during a meeting of the civil servants in Lahore, a resolution against Ahad Cheema’s arrest by the NAB was adopted. Over 200 civil servants demanded a suo motu notice of Cheema’s arrest. An accountability court on Thursday granted physical remand of Cheema to NAB in the Ashiana housing scheme inquiry. Cheema was presented before accountability judge Muhammad Azam, where the NAB prosecutor had told the court that the accused had distributed the contract of Ashiana Housing scheme on the basis of nepotism. The court agreed to a physical remand of 11 days in response to NAB’s request to grant a 14-day remand of the accused. Meanwhie, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan on Friday lashed out at bureaucracy for protesting against Ahad Cheema’s arrest. Taking to social-networking website Twitter, Imran Khan said that it was shameful how bureaucracy belonging to PAS has chosen to protest over accountability and arrest of Cheema, who is a front man of Chief Minister of Punjab (CM) Shehbaz Sharif. He reiterated that the group, under the supervision of CM Punjab, thinks that they are above the law. Published in Daily Times, February 24th 2018.