Crackdown against encroachment: 30 chambers of lawyers razed in Dera Ghazi Khan

Taunsa Bar Association president condemns action, terms move unjust

DERA GHAZI KHAN: At least 30 chambers belonging to different lawyers were demolished by the Dera Ghazi Khan district administration during a crackdown against encroachment on Monday.

A police official told The Express Tribune the lawyers had constructed chambers illegally on the land of Pakistan Post Office in Taunsa Tehsil.

He added the district administration and police launched a crackdown against encroachment and razed the building that consisted of 30 chambers belonging to different lawyers.

The official said police have registered cases against 29 lawyers involved in encroaching the land and the lawyers nominated in the case will be apprehended soon.

Meanwhile, Taunsa Bar Association president Malik Ghulam Asghar condemned the action by police and local administration and termed the move ‘unjust’. He added the lawyers’ community would take legal action against those involved and would not let the authorities demolish offices and chambers of the lawyers.

Earlier, the district government launched a massive operation against encroachments across the district after giving due time to encroachers to clear illegal land voluntarily.

The district administration armed with latest machinery launched a full-fledged campaign to reclaim the government land.

For the purpose, Dera Ghazi Khan was divided into different sectors and a special public compliant cell was also established in the TMA office. The operation was transparent and action was taken without any discrimination, officials said.

Similarly in 2014, a land developer encroached land belonging to the Pakistan Railways while building a housing colony in the district. The colony, near the Shah Sikander Road, was built 80 feet onto the land belonging to railways.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2016.