Protests against encroachments, land mafia

LAHORE: Two minority groups protested in front of the Lahore Press Club for their issues. One group protested for the removal of encroachments from the surroundings of Gora Graveyard, Ravi Road.

Samuel Pyara, IMRF Chairman, said the Supreme Court of Pakistan had issued an order on August 23, 2017 for an operation for the removal of encroachments from the main gate and surroundings of Gora Graveyard.

But unfortunately, till date, not a single step has been taken and the encroachment is still there. It creates trouble for the minority people when they visit the graves of their loved ones, he said.

The second minority group is sitting in front of the press club for more than a month. These protesters have come from Narowal and were demanding action against land mafia. Pastor Asher Aftab said: “Land mafia is trying to occupy their homes and not a single man is stopping them.” He accused the police and authorities concerned of snatching their homes and supporting powerful men as they are building an illegal building on their homes.

We have no place to go and we are living here in a park without any facility. Not a single man of the authorities concerned has come to us to address our problem, he said. Talking to The News, Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Khalil Tahir Sandhu said: “We are taking up these issues and I will go to Gora Graveyard and Narowal. We will not let anyone break the law and actions will be taken on merit.”

The protesters holding banners and placards were chanting slogans against the government and the authorities concerned. Traffic remained disrupted on Davis Road and people suffered for hours after the protests.

PMS officers: The Provincial Management Service (PMS) officers continued their province wide protest for a second consecutive day by wearing black armbands despite release of the meeting minutes on the directions of the Punjab chief secretary on Tuesday on the demand of the PMS officers.

According to the statement issued by the PMS Officers Association spokesman, the PMS protest would continue till the untill their demands met.

Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officers have pushed the PMS officers to the wall and the PMS would continue its protest against the PAS atrocities, the spokesman said, adding though the committee was constituted to solve the problems being faced by the PMS officers, neither the committee started work nor the PMS representatives were contacted, which showed non-seriousness of the CS regarding addressing the PMS officers' problems.