The residents of a locality plagued with encroachment came out on the roads demanding relief from the people who have illegally occupied footpaths forcing people to walk on road risking life and limb owing to rash traffic of Rawalpindi.
The locals of Chah Sultan Glass Factory Chowk area held a protest against encroachment in the area on Sunday. Traders and public representatives from the constituency joined the protest in solidarity with the local residents.
The protesters chanted slogans against Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) officers for not taking action against encroachers.
The protestors alleged that the officers of the corporation were involved in the establishment of encroachment around Glass Factory Chowk area.
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While addressing the demonstrators, Citizens Action Committee Chairman Zaheer Ahmed Awan said that the traffic remained congested due to encroachments while it had become impossible for pedestrians to walk.
He added that even ambulances could not pass through in emergency due to appalling traffic. Awan expressed that abandoned vehicles have been parked in the centre of the road to grab land for motor garages.
He said that they launched complaints on different forums including Prime Minister Citizen Portal but to no avail.
Awan asserted that RMC receives monthlies from the encroachers and leave them settled.
He criticised that MNA Sheikh Rashid Shafique had disappeared after getting elected and was not paying attention to the constituency.
The protesters warned of staging a protest outside the RMC office if the encroachments were not removed.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2021.
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