People welcome removal of encroachment in Rawalpindi

Laud efforts of RCB which acted on Supreme Court’s orders

ISLAMABAD: The citizens of Rawalpindi have lauded the performance of the government, the Supreme Court and Rawalpindi Cantonment Board for successfully holding up the operation against encroachments. Paying tribute to the performance of the institutions, the citizens have demanded the authorities to set up permanent check posts and enact strict legislation so that illegal structures are completely cleared up.



Rawalpindi Cantonment Board is considered as the largest cantonment area of the country and includes areas such as Adamjee Road, King Road, Kashmir Road, Haider Road, Bank Road, Railway Station Road, Hospital Road, Babu Bazar, Koila Center, Police Station Road, Searose Cinema Market and GPO Chowk all of which are dotted with illegal structures and have been standing for many years due to support of the cantonment board’s enforcement staff.

According to citizens Faisal Majeed Bhatti, Shaikh Tayyab and Jaffer Ali Hamdani, there has been a surge in the number encroachments due to increasing population.

‘The officials of the cantonment board should be given powers and anti-encroachment posts should be set up in all big and small markets of the cantonment area’ they demand, adding that complaints registered by the citizens at the check boasts should be delivered to the high officials of the cantonment board so that immediately action can be taken.

The spaces that have been vacated should be filled up with flower pots. On the other side, an officer of the cantonment board has confirmed that the authority has been for the first time carrying up the anti-encroachment operation without discrimination.



According to rules, very commercial building in cantonment must be whitewashed every three years, he said, adding that the operation was being undertaken to give relief to the people.

The encroachers had built their structures on an expensive land. We do not want to take away anyone’s livelihood.

The peddlers with licensed carts are permitted to do business in markets situated in cantonment areas. A fruit market was illegally set up outside Cant Public School which has now been cleared up.