RAWALPINDI: Despite claims by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chief Imran Khan of eliminating political interference in government institutions, Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) chief officer has suspended a clerk allegedly on the pressure from a lady officer of the Presidential House. According to the details, a citizen namely Parvez Khan visited the Birth & Death Certificate branch of MCR for issuance of birth certificate of two of his sons, however, the National Database & Regulations Authority (NADRA) papers used for the issuance of certificates were out of stock at that time, so an MCR clerk Muhammad Iqbal asked the father to visit after two or three days to collect the certificates. When Parvez Khan came back after a few days, the clerk Iqbal demanded a legal fee of the certificates ie Rs 100 each. Parvez refused to give him the fee and made him talk to a lady on the phone who introduced herself as an officer at the Presidential House. She instructed the clerk to give the certificates away free of cost. The very next day, Parvez filed a complaint to the Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi and claimed that the MCR clerk delayed the certificates and demanded bribe money instead. Sources said that the same lady officer also called Deputy Commissioner Dr Umar Jahangir and demanded action against the clerk. DC Rawalpindi verbally ordered MCR Chief Officer Shafqat Raza to take action against Iqbal. In an initial departmental inquiry report presented to DC regarding the incident, Iqbal was declared innocent but DC insisted the chief officer to suspend him, sources said. In the suspension order issued by the CO, it is stated that Iqbal is placed under suspension on charges of inefficiency and misconduct with immediate effect. A charge sheet will follow. The suspended clerk Iqbal submitted an application for his restoration to Mayor Sardar Naseem Khan, who has referred the matter to the CO. Shafqat Raza while talking exclusively to Daily Times has confirmed that the DC issued instructions on a complaint of a citizen Parvez. If the NADRA sheet was out of stock then it was also the responsibility of the clerk to ensure excellent customer service, he maintained. Despite repeated attempts, DC Dr Umar Jahangir could not be approached for his version. Published in Daily Times, September 24th 2018.