Clearing away: Encroachment drive kicks off in Haripur
Illegally extended portions of over 1,000 shops demolished.
Illegally extended portions of over 1,000 shops demolished. PHOTO: PPI
HARIPUR:
An encroachment drive was launched by the district administration in Haripur on Tuesday. The operation was carried out on the directives of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. Haripur Assistant Commissioner Irshad Khan and a team from the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) initiated the drive.
The operation will ensure all state-owned property that has fallen prey to brazen encroachments is claimed from miscreants. Illegally extended portions of over 1,000 shops were demolished in the main bazaar. Other shopkeepers were warned that their shops would be demolished if they failed to vacate the area within two weeks.
Traders held a protest against the encroachment drive, saying it is a reaction to PTI’s defeat in the NA-19, Haripur by-polls. Raja Hafeez, a local, said the administration has repeatedly failed to claim state-owned property from influential people who have encroached upon it.
Phase-wise
Meanwhile, Irshad said the operation was conducted in an indiscriminate manner and will be conducted in various phases. “This was the first-phase of the drive,” he said. “It was aimed at getting rid of temporary encroachments. During the second phase, we will focus on eliminating encroachments in Mochi Bazaar, Loharan Bazaar, Saeyen Sehaili Road, Rehmania Road, Circular Road. Furthermore, slums in other parts of Haripur will also be cleared away. In the third phase, shops and plazas with cemented encroachments will be demolished.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2015.
An encroachment drive was launched by the district administration in Haripur on Tuesday. The operation was carried out on the directives of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. Haripur Assistant Commissioner Irshad Khan and a team from the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) initiated the drive.
The operation will ensure all state-owned property that has fallen prey to brazen encroachments is claimed from miscreants. Illegally extended portions of over 1,000 shops were demolished in the main bazaar. Other shopkeepers were warned that their shops would be demolished if they failed to vacate the area within two weeks.
Traders held a protest against the encroachment drive, saying it is a reaction to PTI’s defeat in the NA-19, Haripur by-polls. Raja Hafeez, a local, said the administration has repeatedly failed to claim state-owned property from influential people who have encroached upon it.
Phase-wise
Meanwhile, Irshad said the operation was conducted in an indiscriminate manner and will be conducted in various phases. “This was the first-phase of the drive,” he said. “It was aimed at getting rid of temporary encroachments. During the second phase, we will focus on eliminating encroachments in Mochi Bazaar, Loharan Bazaar, Saeyen Sehaili Road, Rehmania Road, Circular Road. Furthermore, slums in other parts of Haripur will also be cleared away. In the third phase, shops and plazas with cemented encroachments will be demolished.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2015.