Stiff resistance: Angry Peshawar Morr residents pelt CDA staff

Magistrate orders halt to operation as staff retreats

ISLAMABAD: Officials of the civic body were forced to beat a hasty retreat on Thursday when locals near Peshawar Morr started pelting them with stones.

Officials from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Enforcement Directorate had arrived at the Peshawar Morr and the Industrial & Trade (I&T) Centre to clear the area of encroachment — as directed by the court. They bulldozed several businesses established illegally in the commercial before moving to the residential units — the entire activity overseen by a magistrate.

The team had hardly cleared a few encroachment in the residential area when angry locals gathered and started protesting against the enforcement staff. They then started pelting the team with stones.

In wake of the protest and anticipating a worsening law and order situation, the accompanying magistrate directed the enforcement team to stop their operation.

The operation was the part of CDA ongoing drive against encroachments that which had started on October 10 and is expected to continue until October 31.

Precise actions

According to the schedule of CDA’s special drive, the enforcement directorate was scheduled to conduct operations in Aabpara Market, Farooqia Market in Sector F-6/2, Sector F-10 Markaz, Sector F-7 Markaz, Karachi Company Sector G-9 Markaz, Sector I-8 Markaz, Sector G-10 Markaz, Sector I-10 Markaz and Sector F-11 Markaz will be targeted for removal of encroachments during special drive.

A review meeting was also held at the CDA where the Enforcement director briefed that a special drive against encroachments was in full swing as per the initially chalked out schedule.

Islamabad Mayor and CDA Chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz said that encroachment in the city was not acceptable since they ruined the beauty of the city and disturbed everyday life.

“Categorical, precise and uninterrupted actions should be taken to bring to the end encroachment in the city,” Aziz directed.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2017.