Anti-encroachment squad demolishes over 200 shops in Khanpur

Shopkeepers protest against police, authorities

HARIPUR: The anti-encroachment squad razed over 200 shops and kiosks to the ground in Khanpur on Monday.

A heavy contingent of police was employed to demolish over 200 kiosks and more than 80 cemented shops and hotels.

The structures were built illegally on government lands. However, shop owners claimed the operation was discriminatory and that police was not impartial during this process. They also protested against authorities and shouted slogans against the police’s discriminatory behaviour.

The operation was headed by Additional Assistant Commissioner Irshad
Khan and the anti-encroachment squad from Haripur Tehsil Municipal Administration.

The irrigation department and the district council started the operation at Tarnawa Bazaar in Khanpur and cleared both sides of Taxila-Haripur Road, district council road and the irrigation channel, taking actiob against forcibly occupied land of government departments.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, authorities said some shopkeepers protested and caused hurdles for the administration.

The police, in return, resorted to a baton charge to disperse the crowd. The police also arrested Gohar Ali, Naseer, Sagheer and Danish for causing an obstruction in the operation.

The other side

Meanwhile, the AAC said illegal occupants had long been occupying the land of the irrigation department, district council and National
Highway Authority.

He said the encroachments were ascertained after record checking with the help of the revenue department a few months ago.

“The illegal occupants were informed twice,” he added. “They were asked to vacate government land voluntarily, but they
failed to so.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2016.