Over 300 shopkeepers on Wednesday protested against the Lyallpur town municipal administration for removing encroachments on public roads in the area.
The protesters, mostly from Regal Road, gathered at Narwala Chowk and blocked it for traffic by burning tyres and erecting blockades.
Talking to newsmen, Akhtar Ali, one of the protesters said TMA officials had only removed encroachments from places where traders had refused to give them bribes.
Rafiq Ahmad, another protester, said some traders had sought time till Eid to sell of their items and leave.
He said initially, TMA officials had agreed and allowed them to sell off their goods.
He said they had been collecting Rs100 daily from every vendor who had sought some time.
He said later, they began charging them Rs200 daily.
“Now they are asking for Rs500 per day. This was too much for some vendors and they refused to pay,” he said.
He said the TMA officials had then confiscated their carts and merchandise and launched a random anti-encroachment operation.
“Similar encroachments are to be found in Bhowana Bazaar, Jhang Bazaar, Montgomery Bazaar, Karkhana Bazaar, Rail Bazaar, Chiniot Bazaar, Aminpur Bazaar and Gol Bazaar.
“No encroachment drive has been initiated in those areas because traders there regularly bribe the TMA staff”, Rafiq said.
He said vendors had been selling various items at Regal Road for decades. The protesters chanted slogans against TMA officials and demanded immediate return of carts and other materials confiscated during the anti-encroachment operation. A police team from Kotwali reached the scene and negotiated with the protesters. Police said their claims would be investigated and action would be taken against those found responsible.
The traders then called off their protests and dispersed.
Lyallpur TMA spokesman Akram Ali Zaidi rubbished the claims of the traders.
He said they had been warned several times to remove the encroachments.
“They sought time to sell off their goods. The TMA allotted them some space along the road to do so,” he said.
“But they did not heed our instructions and continued to encroach on the main road,” he said.
He said TMA authorities had launched anti-encroachment drives across the city and action would be taken against anyone found encroaching on public land.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2014.
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