MANSEHRA: A rally was staged here to create awareness against corruption on Monday with the local government claiming to have brought down the incidence of corrupt practices in the district.

The rally began from outside the district council and ended at the New Circuit House after going through various roads with National Accountability Bureau deputy director Mian Waqar, district nazim Sardar Said Ghulam, deputy commissioner Iqbal Hussain, officials of government departments, and people from other segments of society in attendance.

Mian Waqar of the NAB claimed that the incidence of corruption in the country had significantly come down due to his organisation`s ef fective role. He added that the NAB had so far recovered over Rs288 billion from the plunderers of taxpayers` money. `Corruption is not only a stigma for countries likes us but it is also a serious challenge even for developed countries,` he said.

The NAB official said his organisation had adopted multipronged anti-corruption strategies, which had brought corruption rate down to almost nine per cent. He said the NAB`s good performance was internationally acknowledged.

Nazim Sardar Said Ghulam said his government had introduced a mechanism to reduce the involvement of commissions and kickbacks in development schemes.

He said the education department`s performance had improved through the Education Vision Programme in the district, while scholarships were given away to brilliant students. The nazim said the local government was ensuring the presence of teachers and other school staff members on duty by all means.

DC Iqbal Hussain said the local bodies of Mansehra had outdone its contemporaries in the province.

CLEANLINESS DRIVE: The Safada village council on Monday launched a special campaign to reopen the choked sewerage lines. Nazim Basharat Ali inaugurated the drive after sweeping streets outside his office. Though cleanliness is a subject handled by the tehsil municipal administration but for the first time, the village council will bear its expenses.

The nazim said the campaign was launched in line with the council`s basic aim to serve the people.

He said under the campaign, chocked sewers and garbage dumps would be cleared in Safada and Haddobani villages. The nazim said other village councils in Mansehra should follow suit.

DRUGS SEIZED: Regional drug inspector Tauseef Tanoli on Monday seized a huge quantity of the health department`s not-for-sale and unauthorised Indian medicines in Balakot and Kaghan valleys.

Mr Tanoli told reporters here that the drugs were seized at 19 medical stores, whose owners would face legal action.

He said the crackdown on such medicines would continue.