‘Martyrs asset of police department’

JHANG: MPA Sheikh Muhammad Akram has termed anti-encroachment campaign a fruitless activity in the city.

The MPA while talking to reporters said alleged that discrimination-based anti-encroachment drive was not a permanent solution to the problems of the citizens as several illegal constructions on the service areas were still present and footpaths were also being utilised by the influential plaza owners and shopkeepers.

He claimed that the local municipality staffers destroyed the temporary carts and stalls of poor daily wagers from the roadside service areas, but they kept mum about the illegal parking established on the roads in front of the private hospitals, banks and plazas.

He said that the citizens informed him that some years ago, on the recommendation of the district traffic police, only public parking lot of the city was established on a state land adjacent to the Yusuf Shah Road, but the district administration overlooked the complaint about encroachments on the public parking lot area.

The traffic police wardens could be seen lifting vehicles from roadside service areas of the roads instead of taking action against the owners of the banks, schools, colleges and other commercial buildings for blocking the roads, he added.

MPA Sheikh Akram told that he would bring the attention of the Punjab government during the recent session of the Punjab Assembly about the so-called anti-encroachment drive and the poor performance of long-tenured local health administrators.