Police attempt to occupy UC building for setting up outpost

District administration foils move amid protest by residents of Painsra

JARANWALA:

The district administration foiled an attempt by the police to occupy a union council building for setting up an outpost.

The checkpoint was reportedly planned to operate under the Thekriwala police station.

According to sources, Local Government Deputy Director Khalid Mahmood Gasoora sent an alert to the district administration that the Thekriwala police had forcibly taken over the possession of the Union Council No.159 building to set up an outpost in Chak 275JB in the Painsra area.

The official complained that police personnel had locked the doors of all the rooms of the building without seeking permission of the local government and the staff of the UC building.

Residents of the village were staging a protest demonstration and shouting slogans against the police’s move.

Upon receiving the information, Additional Deputy Commissioner for Revenue Noman Azal Awan and Saddar Assistant Commissioner Fazal Abbas arrived at the building along with revenue and local government officials.

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The officials broke open the locks of the doors and retrieved the building from the occupation of the police.

The possession of the building was handed over to the local government department.

In a related development, the Punjab local government director general suspended the union council secretary and issued his transfer orders from Faisalabad to Jhang district for not timely informing the district administration regarding the act of the police.

Sources said that officials of Thekriwala police had been called and asked about the incident. District administration officers expressed concern after hearing that permission had not formally been taken by the police regarding the setting up of the outpost at the UC building.

However, the official of the local government department parried a question by reporters about seeking action against the police personnel involved in occupying the government building.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2023.