‘Encroachments — blot on beauty of Rawalpindi’

Rawalpindi : Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaquat Ali Chatha has said that ever-increasing encroachments were a blot on the beauty of the city and vowed to clear the city of them.

Talking to media here Thursday, he said, “I am receiving dozens of complaints against encroachments in whole city areas on regular basis. Ever-increasing encroachments were continuously destroying the beauty of Rawalpindi.”

The Commissioner Rawal­pindi Division also expressed concerns about cleanliness issues in the city and assured the public that every union council will present a cleaner look soon. “I will visit every union council early morning on regular basis,” he assured. I am going to make a strong policy against ‘encroachment mafia’ and I will never spare even government officers who are backing this mafia,” he warned. He requested print and electronic media for help to start an awareness campaign against corrupt people. Media can play an important role to vanish all kinds of irregularities in departments, he said.

He warned the public not to invest in illegal housing schemes. We are going to start a crackdown against illegal housing societies. We have given a special task to the revenue department to computerize all ‘Mozas’. I will take strict action against revenue officers on missing land records, he warned. Any kind of construction is banned here in green areas. If anybody tries to occupy green belt areas, we will take strict action against them, he said.

“Some days ago, I took charge as Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, but I have received hundreds of complaints against ‘ever-increasing encroachments’ in Rawalpindi city. It is shameful for concerned officers,” he said.

Not only the business community but common citizens, motorists have expressed concerns over the ever-increasing encroachments in different localities of the city and demanded of the district administration to remove them to end frequent traffic jams affecting their business activities round the clock.

All Pakistan Traders Association (Punjab) President Sharjeel Mir told ‘The News’ that ever-increasing encroachments have completely destroyed their business. “We have met commissioner and deputy commissioner to resolve this issue on priority but in vain,” he said. We are going to start a proper campaign to vanish encroachments from city areas because government departments have failed to control this issue, he warned.

All major markets and bazaars of the city are flowing with encroachments and traffic congestion. The areas of Raja Bazaar, Narankari Bazaar, Barra Bazaar, Dalgaran Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, Namak Mandi Bazaar, Lal Haveli Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Iqbal Road, Commercial Market, Sadiqabad Bazaar, Muslim Town Bazaar, Khayaban Bazaar, Adiala Road Bazaars, and several other localities were packed with encroachment mafia but government officials are seeing the whole drama with closed eyes.

Some key post officers from Metropolitan Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) on condition of anonymity said the regulation department is taking ‘monthly’ from the encroachment mafia, therefore, they are reluctant to take any kind of action against this mafia. Talking to ‘The News’ traders and common citizens said that encroachment is the biggest problem, it is difficult to walk in bazaars, due to traffic congestion, and customers face difficulty in shopping. They also said that the authorities concerned have completely failed to fulfil their responsibilities.