–As many as 95 temporary and permanent encroachments removed in Shah Alami, Rang Mehal
LAHORE: A police sub-inspector (SI) was killed as people resisted an anti-encroachment operation in the Data Darbar area of the provincial capital on Wednesday.
The police, along with judicial bailiff, were conducting the operation when encroachers offered strong resistance and a scuffle broke out.
One of the encroachers hit SI Ali Waris, knocking him to the ground. The officer died while being rushed to a nearby hospital and the body was shifted to a mortuary for postmortem.
The slain cop was serving as additional SHO at the Data Darbar police station. A case was registered against the accused and an investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, dozens of encroachments were removed in a massive operation conducted in the Shah Alami Market and Rang Mehal areas of the Walled City.
According to the details, Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) and Municipal Corporation Lahore (MCL) carried out the operation that was led by City Assistant Commissioner Safdar Virk. They were accompanied by teams of the police station concerned and the district administration.
The anti-encroachment operation started at 8 am and ended at sunset. At least 95 temporary and permanent encroachments from Shah Alami Chowk to the Rang Mehal Chowk were removed.
On visiting the location, Pakistan Today observed resistance by the traders who were seen threatening the law enforcers; however, the local police ensured the teams’ safety and successful execution of the operation.
Residents of the area and passersby were also seen expressing satisfaction over the anti-encroachment drive as they said the illegal occupants had made commuting to and from the area a challenge amid consequent traffic gridlocks.
“The entire area is getting congested and most of the residents are planning to move out due to all the traffic and commercialisation. A number of residents have been forced to sell their ancestral houses to traders so that they can convert the structures into commercial units,” Mian Akhtar, a resident of Rang Mehal, told Pakistan Today.
Shamim Begum, another resident of the area, said that it was difficult for the locals to pick their children from schools amid traffic jams and overcrowded roads during busy hours.
“The government has tried to carry out such operations a number of times but as there is no post-operation monitoring, the encroachers return. The government needs to take a sterner action against them,” she said.
Speaking to Pakistan Today, WCLA Building Control Assistant Director Usman Diwan said that they had started a massive operation to clean-up the Walled City with the support of the government.
“In today’s operation, we targeted the most sensitive areas of the Walled City [Shah Alami and Rang Mehal] and removed permanent as well as temporary encroachments,” he said and added that a few temporary stalls were also removed.
“WCLA has also issued warnings to 25 violators and instructed them to remove the encroachments within the next two days. We are not taking any sorts of political or influential pressure and all measures are being taken to execute the plans.”
WCLA Conservation and Building Control Director Najam Saquib also said that no one would be spared in the anti-encroachment operations. “These encroachments are damaging the beauty of Old Lahore and destroying the heritage fabric.”