Rana Shahzad Iqbal, son of Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal, is allegedly plotting to occupy sizable land of Haleeb Foods factory situated in Bhai Pheru, an area which is the stronghold of Rana family. Haleeb Foods factory staff has alleged that the PA speaker’s son was trying to occupy their factory by creating a fake claimant with fake documents. Haleeb Foods officials, talking to Pakistan Today, said that on Thursday Shahzad and his people led by the local administration turned up at the factory and tried for a ‘sham demarcation’ without any legal documents. They said that they contacted the police but to no avail. Shahzad who is allegedly on the forefront of all the ‘intimidation and harassment’ by the factory staff and even its top officials, has full support of the local administration and the police. Armed locals, backing the influential, are protesting and demonstrating in front of the factory, displaying their weapons with impunity.
The factory staff, on the other hand, has claimed that a local backed by the speaker’s son had laid claim over nine kanals of land, originally part of the factory for the last 30 years when Haleeb started its operation in Bhai Pheru.
The factory staff further alleged that there was also a possibility that Shahzad might have gotten the land transferred in his name from the fake claimant.
A factory employee giving account of the growing tussle said, “The other day Naib Tehsil Dar turned up at factory and wanted to transfer the control of land to the new claimant immediately. He was accompanied by hundreds of locals chanting slogans against the factory administration.” He disclosed that Shahzad told the staff dealing with protestors that he would ensure the seizure within days.
A senior official of Haleeb Foods has also confirmed that highhandedness of a local influential family, saying, “The administration will not bow down before the pressure and resist such pressure tactics at all available forums. Haleeb’s plant had been functioning in Bhai Pheru for the last 30 years without any problem. All the men who work at the plant are locals and by giving them employment we have been contributing a lot in the welfare of local people and the area.”
Explaining the company’s conduct, he said, “Last year, a Karachi-based company Mega & Forbs, owned by Habibullah, bought majority of the company’s shares from Chaudhary Illyas. Since the takeover of the new administration, the local notables have started showing extra interest in the affairs of the company. The company can not even remove an employee involved in wrongdoing or misconduct.” He continued saying that the protests from locals recently became a routine matter after a company high-up fired an employee who was caught stealing company’s machinery and scrap. “Influential men have called our high-ups enquiring why the employee was sacked. Moreover, whenever top officials of the Haleeb visit the plant, locals in great numbers turn up to disturb the visit,” he said. He disclosed that latest act of intimidation came when a local emerged on the scene with documents claiming he was the owner of the nine-kanal factory.
“The man has on old claim but he did not have any documents back then and neither did the local administration ever bother the factory administration. Now all of a sudden he is well equipped with all the documents and the administration and local political leaders are out to occupy the land,” he said. According to sources, top officials of Haleeb are also getting life threats by anonymous callers. PA speaker’s son Shahzad was not available for comments despite repeated attempts.
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