MULTAN: A tehsildar dealing with the Metro Bus Project`s land acquisition procedure on Tuesday seized the revenue record from a patwari over complaints filed by some officials and the project-hit people.

The record was seized on the direction of District Coordination Officer Zahid Saleem Gondal.

The affected people also complained to the DCO against the patwari for demanding bribe to complete the procedure for payment of compensation.

On Monday, DCO Zahid Gondal paid a visit to the camp office of Metro Bus Project at Bagh Langay Khan in connection with the compensation issues. The affected people and officials concerned told the DCO that Patwari Sheikh Riaz Jahangir of Mauza Juma Khalsa was not visiting the camp office as a result people were facing inconvenience.

The DCO directed Tehsildar Imtiaz Warraich to askthe patwari to visit camp office but he refused to come to office on the plea that their community is observing strike.

When the DCO on Tuesday again visited the camp office, he found the patwari absent. He directed Mr Warraich to seize the record and produce it to him. In the meantime, the patwari also appeared before the DCO.

Sources privy to the situation said various complaints had been lodged against the patwari but action was not taken against him as a former provincial minister was allegedly supporting Mr Jehangir.

They said after the provincial minister was disqualified in February, the patwari had the `blessings` of a district official.

Talking to Dawn, the tehsildar confirmed that he had seized the record.

The patwari claimed that after he appeared before the DCO, the revenue record was returned to him. He said complaints against him were baseless.

DCO Gondal was not available for comments.