Clearing The Way: Motorway police deal with squatters

BAHAWALPUR: The National Highway and Motorway Police have completed its anti-encroachment campaign along the highway from Noorpur Noranga, nearly 30 kilometres from Bahawalpur, on Ahmedpur East Road. According to police officials, the 15-day campaign was aimed at clearing the national highway of all illegal structures from areas like the Musafir Khana, Noorpur Noranga, Khanpur Mirchanwala and Abbasia Chowk. Police said that accused had been given instructions to remove all encroachments from the area or voluntarily face the cases against them in court. “We have been issuing warnings to squatters for months but it made no difference. Now we have begun clearing all encroachments along the main routes and several structures have already been destroyed. These people received ample warning,”said motorway official Saleem Haq.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2011.