Right of way: Rioters torch 4 vehicles, stall anti-encroachment drive
Seven officials injured from stones thrown at them, assault with batons.
Photo of a bulldozer demolishing a building. PHOTO: ONLINE
LAHORE:
A mob torched four vehicles of an anti-encroachment squad after officials took down a signboard carrying Quranic verses on Friday.
A team including officials of the city district government, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the police was removing encroachments at Abu Bakar Road, Madeena Market and Sarafa Market in Township at around 11 am.
The squad was led by Raiwind Assistant Commissioner Aman Anwer Qidwai.
The squad was pulling down signboards, staircases, air-conditioning units, balconies and other protrusions from shops, commercial banks and residences.
It had faced resistance from traders and vendors encroaching on public land who chanted slogans against them.
LDA officials said they ignored the protestors but then some shopkeepers pelted them with stones.
They said the rioters were stopped by the police accompanying the CDGL and LDA teams.
Model Town Assistant Commissioner Tariq Chandio told The Express Tribune that demolition of encroachments over a 3-kilometre stretch had been planned.
He said some traders claimed that they had not been served a prior notice. He said they turned violent at Al-Madina Market.
Musahib Haneef, a trader, told The Express Tribune that they had warned the officials against taking down a board that bore Quranic verses.
Faheem Afzal, another shop owner, said, “The crane operator was reluctant but officials pressed him to do it. Then the people lost their temper.”
A crowd of rioters alleging blasphemy then started gathering around the officials. Outnumbered, the LDA staff ran for cover, leaving behind four trucks.
The rioters set the trucks on fire.
Some of them took out batteries and took away shovels, weights and other instruments kept in them.
The protestors also blocked College Road by burning tyres and threw stones at vehicles that passed that way.
Traffic at College Road and Township Market remained suspended till late afternoon.
Iqbal Town Municipal Officer Ali Hasan Jaffery said TOR Tayyab Maqsood, Union Councils Administrator Jawadul Hasan Gondal, PRO Ghulam Qadir Chaudhary, LDA Enforcement Director Muhammad Saleem and Qadwai were injured in an assault with batons.
Rescue 1122 officials took them to Jinnah hospital.
A heavy contingent of riot police sent to the scene later batons charged the rioters arrested 11 of them.
Allah Ditta Asif, president of the traders union at Al Madina market and Sunni Tehreek president in the area Maulana Shabbir Farooqi, demanded action against those who had “blasphemed.”
They also called for release of traders in police custody.
Township station house officer later said they had been released.
“We detained them to control the situation. When things were under control, they were set free,” he said.
Raiwind Town Assistant Commissioner Aman Anwer Qidwai said, “We respect holy scriptures as much as anyone. The episode was planned to stop the encroachment drive.”
He said traders were aware of the operation as the CDGL had made several announcements through the mosques.
He said the district administration would resume the operation on Saturday (today). He said the city administration would ensure better coordination with police would be ensured.
The LDA has submitted an application at the Township Police Station requesting that the police initiate an investigation against the traders involved.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2014.
A mob torched four vehicles of an anti-encroachment squad after officials took down a signboard carrying Quranic verses on Friday.
A team including officials of the city district government, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the police was removing encroachments at Abu Bakar Road, Madeena Market and Sarafa Market in Township at around 11 am.
The squad was led by Raiwind Assistant Commissioner Aman Anwer Qidwai.
The squad was pulling down signboards, staircases, air-conditioning units, balconies and other protrusions from shops, commercial banks and residences.
It had faced resistance from traders and vendors encroaching on public land who chanted slogans against them.
LDA officials said they ignored the protestors but then some shopkeepers pelted them with stones.
They said the rioters were stopped by the police accompanying the CDGL and LDA teams.
Model Town Assistant Commissioner Tariq Chandio told The Express Tribune that demolition of encroachments over a 3-kilometre stretch had been planned.
He said some traders claimed that they had not been served a prior notice. He said they turned violent at Al-Madina Market.
Musahib Haneef, a trader, told The Express Tribune that they had warned the officials against taking down a board that bore Quranic verses.
Faheem Afzal, another shop owner, said, “The crane operator was reluctant but officials pressed him to do it. Then the people lost their temper.”
A crowd of rioters alleging blasphemy then started gathering around the officials. Outnumbered, the LDA staff ran for cover, leaving behind four trucks.
The rioters set the trucks on fire.
Some of them took out batteries and took away shovels, weights and other instruments kept in them.
The protestors also blocked College Road by burning tyres and threw stones at vehicles that passed that way.
Traffic at College Road and Township Market remained suspended till late afternoon.
Iqbal Town Municipal Officer Ali Hasan Jaffery said TOR Tayyab Maqsood, Union Councils Administrator Jawadul Hasan Gondal, PRO Ghulam Qadir Chaudhary, LDA Enforcement Director Muhammad Saleem and Qadwai were injured in an assault with batons.
Rescue 1122 officials took them to Jinnah hospital.
A heavy contingent of riot police sent to the scene later batons charged the rioters arrested 11 of them.
Allah Ditta Asif, president of the traders union at Al Madina market and Sunni Tehreek president in the area Maulana Shabbir Farooqi, demanded action against those who had “blasphemed.”
They also called for release of traders in police custody.
Township station house officer later said they had been released.
“We detained them to control the situation. When things were under control, they were set free,” he said.
Raiwind Town Assistant Commissioner Aman Anwer Qidwai said, “We respect holy scriptures as much as anyone. The episode was planned to stop the encroachment drive.”
He said traders were aware of the operation as the CDGL had made several announcements through the mosques.
He said the district administration would resume the operation on Saturday (today). He said the city administration would ensure better coordination with police would be ensured.
The LDA has submitted an application at the Township Police Station requesting that the police initiate an investigation against the traders involved.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2014.