There’s just no getting rid of squatters…
Local social, political and business circles have expressed grave concern over the situation, demanding that Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Gujranwala Commissioner Hashim Tareen look into the matter in the larger public interest.
Sialkot district coordination officer (DCO) Mujahid Sher Dil led the campaign but the administration only demolished a few official buildings established several decades ago by spending millions of rupees in the city. The official buildings that were demolished during the drive include the TMA building, Municipal library, DDO (Revenue) offices and Civil Club.
The TMA allegedly showed open partiality by not demolishing the official ASP Daska offices building in the same row as other demolished structures. The ASP Daska office building was also declared an encroachment and was scheduled for demolition. The district administration has ignored several other encroachments raised by the politically influential people in Daska city’s congested Fawara Chowk, Nisbat Road, Pasrur Road, Sambrial Road, Circular Road, Main Bazaar and College Road. “They don’t touch any of the buildings belonging to political figures or rich businessmen because they are paid off,” said shop owner Latif Bajwa.
In Fawara Chowk, vendors with their rehries and motorcycle rickshaws drivers have constructed several illegal parking stands but authorities have failed to tackle the situation. When contacted, some of the encroachers said “the share goes to the higher officials and so no one bothers to disturb us, we pay them enough for that”. Daska city’s Main Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Chowk Bazaar and Subedar Bazaar are surrounded by encroachments and squatters who have practically overrun the narrow streets adjacent to the markets.
Social, business, political and religious circles have also expressed grave concern over the inordinate delay in the timely completion of several major projects under development in Daska city. Two main city roads, Bank Road (from Civil Rest House Chowk to Lorry Adda Daska) and Stadium Road (from Civil Hospital Chowk to Nawaz Sharif Stadium Daska) were scheduled for completion within the year and a special grant of Rs95 million was issued by the provincial government in this regard. The dug up roads are still lying unattended and construction work is at a complete standstill.
The Bank Road, where all the commercial banks of the city are located, is also dug-up. “People have no access to visit these banks due to the condition of the main road,” said Alam Niaz, a resident, adding that “the businesses of these banks was being severely affected due to condition of the road”.
Concerned officials of the Daska TMA said that the major cause behind inordinate delays in the completion of these roads was mounting differences between the concerned TMA officials and the contactors. They admitted that chances of timely completion of the roads were ‘pretty dim’.
The district administration has also been facing strong public criticism for demolishing the buildings of Daska TMA, fire brigade and Municipal Library by declaring them to be encroachments and for not making any alternative plan or reconstruction of these offices.
The people and Chairman Thinkers’ Forum Daska Muhammad Jamil Sethi, President Citizens Rights Committee Shehbaz Ali Mohsin and several NGOs have expressed grave concern over the situation in the district. They have urged the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Commissioner Gujranwala Division Hashim Tareen and Sialkot DCO Mujahid Sher Dil to remove encroachments in the city, without making concessions for ‘politically influential’ squatters.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 30th, 2010.
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