Scores of encroachments razed in Faisalabad

Four men held for resisting the drive were released later.

FAISALABAD: As many as 23 encroachments were razed and goods placed in front of shops seized in an anti-encroachment drive in Gol Karyana and Gol Kaparay Wala bazaars on Monday.

Four people were taken into custody by the police called to the scene by the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) staff following a scuffle between them and a group of shopkeepers. However, they were later released.

Saddar Assistant Commissioner Rafia Haider told The Express Tribune that they were released after a written assurance was received from them that in future they would not prevent any public official from discharging their duties.

Separately, traders of the two markets staged demonstrations and chanted slogans against the police and the TMA. The protesters accused the TMA officials of extorting bribes from them.

Akhtar Ali, who has a departmental store in one of themarkets, said there would be no crackdown against encroachments as long as the traders keep bribing TMA officials. “They launch a drive only when one of us refuses to pay the bribe,” he said. He added that the TMA was yet to share a policy with them on encroachments.

The Saddar AC dismissed the charge that any TMA official was receiving bribes from the traders.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2015.