Multan administration vacates Rs500m state land from illegal occupants

MULTAN: The Punjab government has tasked the Multan city district administration of releasing the state lands worth more than one billion rupees.

The city district administration released the state lands worth Rs500 million from illegal occupants on the fourth day of anti-encroachment operation on Wednesday. A piece of land measuring 200-kanal has been released from illegal occupants in tehsil Jalalpur Pirwala on Wednesday, said the officials. Encroachments were removed from Dehli Gate to Khuni Burj.

Talking to media men, Deputy Commissioner Mudassar Riaz Malik said that operation against land grabbers mafia had been extended to entire district. He said that no political pressure would be tolerated at any level because the provincial government had strictly ordered conducting ruthless operation against illegal occupants. Special teams headed by Assistant Commissioner Agha Zaheer Abbass Sherazi observed the operation. The teams turned to Shah Rukn-e-Alam colony and removed shops, rooms constructed illegally. The anti-encroachment squad also removed encroachments from Circular Road, including bricks and temporary encroachments, and fined violators heavily.

Traders and businesspersons were fully backing the anti-encroachment drive and extended cooperation with the district administration. Special teams conducted crackdown in Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujaabad tehsils and got released 200-kanal illegally occupied state lands. The piece of land was attached with a school and the officials pledged eliminating the culture of illegal possession of state lands.

Traders meeting: Deputy Commissioner Mudassar Riaz Malik has ordered extending anti-encroachment operation to union council level, urban, rural and commercial areas to vacate state lands from illegal occupants. He said businesspersons were being taken into confidence regarding the drive.

The DC ordered the officials not to disturb businesses during the encroachment drive but no compromise would be made on encroachments which have destroyed the natural beauty of the city.