BAHAWALPUR: The education secretary and deputy commissioner (DC) ordered an inquiry into allegations that Government Sadiq Egerton College officials charged between Rs100 and Rs 200 from each recipient of a laptop under the chief minister`s scheme.

Dawn learnt that the laptops among students of Sadiq Egerton College under the CM`s scheme were distributed from Thursday to Saturday. Prior to the distribution ceremony, the recipients alleged that they had been paying Rs100 to Rs200 to some officials of the college.

A complaint was conveyed to both the provincial education secretary and Bahawalpur DC Rana Saleem Afzal, who asked Colleges Director Dr Mahmoodul Hassan to conduct a probe into the allegations.

Dr Hassan told Dawn today thatearlier the education secretary and then the DC had asked him to probe the allegations. He said about 1,000 students of the college had been given laptops over three days.

On receipt of the inquiry orders, he assigned the probe to Chief Inspector Ghulam Muhammad of the Government Commerce College, who was expected to complete the inquiry as soon as possible and submit his report.

ACCOUNTS EMPLOYEES: Striking employees of the district accounts office and office-bearers of the Punjab Treasuries and Accounts Services Association claimed that the finance department has forwarded a summary for approval to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif regarding the acceptance of their demands.

Thousands of members of the treasuries association had on May22 gone on pen-down strike demanding up-gradation and 20 per cent treasury allowance.

General secretary of the district chapter of the association, Muhammad Anees Tariq, told Dawn that after the pen-down strike, the entire government machinery, including chief secretary and finance secretary, sprung into action.

He claimed that after vetting of their case by Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, a summary for acceptance of their demands had been forwarded to the chief minister. He said the association members hoped their demands would be accepted. He said now the employees observed two-hour token strike daily so that the government employees and pensioners could be paid their salaries and pensions before Eidul Fitr. Correspondent