Residents protest ‘illegal’ demolition

FAISALABAD:

Dozens of resident of Chak 531-GB on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration against the city district government over demolition of their houses in an anti-encroachment drive.

The protestors gathered at the DCO’s Complex and blocked University Road, suspending traffic for hours.

Talking to newsmen, Talib Hussain said his family had been living in Chak 531-GB for 30 years.

He said Sumundri assistant commissioner had declared residential area an encroachment on state land.

He said the assistant commissioner had ordered demolition of their houses without serving a notice to his family.

He said a revenue official had surveyed the area and had asked for bribes.

“When we refused, he told us that he would displace us,” he added.

The protesters chanted slogans against the city district government and demanded action against the Sumundri assistant commissioner and the revenue official.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal called a delegation of the protesters to his office and held a meeting with them.

He assured them that the issue would be reviewed and resolved soon.

The DCO also assured them that if the Sumundri administration needed the area for any purpose, the city district government would provide them an alternate site for their houses.

The protesters called off their protest on his assurance.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Sumundri assistant commissioner said three notices had been served on encroachers in Chak 531-GB and they had been asked multiple times to vacate the land.

He said the houses had been demolished after all legal formalities had been completed.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2014.