Illegal occupation: Crackdown on squatters to begin soon
Police, Rangers and FC to help evict land grabbers.
KARACHI:
The operation against the land mafia will begin on Monday and all public land under illegal possession will be recovered, said City Administrator Muhammad Hussein Syed and Karachi DCO Roshan Ali Shaikh at a joint press conference at the Civic Centre on Saturday.
So far, the anti-encroachment squad has seized 4,292 acres of illegally occupied land worth Rs29 billion and apprehended 124 people, said Syed.
The city administrator said that the drive would be totally impartial and action would be taken against anyone found involved in illegal activities and will continue until all encroachments are removed. The city district government, Karachi (CDGK) has already put together a list of all encroached land. The land recovered would be used for public welfare projects while the private land would be given back to its original owners.
The police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary will assist the CDGK if and when required. The DCO told The Express Tribune that the operation was halted temporarily but the Anti-Encroachment Cell and police had not stopped monitoring the encroached areas. Earlier, the prime minister also took notice of the situation. “We would not spare anyone involved in illegally occupying public and private land”, he said. “The writ of the government would be implemented at all cost and people would be provided with protection.”
If a CDGK official or employee was found involved in any kind of transaction with the land mafia, they too would have to face the consequences. The operation would also cover the clearing of public pavements and shopkeepers will be asked to stay within the legal space allowed to them.
Revenue EDO Ghanor Leghari, Additional Revenue EDO Matanat Ali Khan, Anti-Encroachment Police SP Irfan Bahadur and other land, estate and revenue department officials were at the press conference.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2011.
The operation against the land mafia will begin on Monday and all public land under illegal possession will be recovered, said City Administrator Muhammad Hussein Syed and Karachi DCO Roshan Ali Shaikh at a joint press conference at the Civic Centre on Saturday.
So far, the anti-encroachment squad has seized 4,292 acres of illegally occupied land worth Rs29 billion and apprehended 124 people, said Syed.
The city administrator said that the drive would be totally impartial and action would be taken against anyone found involved in illegal activities and will continue until all encroachments are removed. The city district government, Karachi (CDGK) has already put together a list of all encroached land. The land recovered would be used for public welfare projects while the private land would be given back to its original owners.
The police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary will assist the CDGK if and when required. The DCO told The Express Tribune that the operation was halted temporarily but the Anti-Encroachment Cell and police had not stopped monitoring the encroached areas. Earlier, the prime minister also took notice of the situation. “We would not spare anyone involved in illegally occupying public and private land”, he said. “The writ of the government would be implemented at all cost and people would be provided with protection.”
If a CDGK official or employee was found involved in any kind of transaction with the land mafia, they too would have to face the consequences. The operation would also cover the clearing of public pavements and shopkeepers will be asked to stay within the legal space allowed to them.
Revenue EDO Ghanor Leghari, Additional Revenue EDO Matanat Ali Khan, Anti-Encroachment Police SP Irfan Bahadur and other land, estate and revenue department officials were at the press conference.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2011.