July 30, 2007	Monday	Rajab 14, 1428

KHANEWAL, July 29: The Khanewal Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) has failed to remove vendors and other encroachers from Ayub Road and Akbar Bazaar, two busiest places of the city, because of their connections with local politicians, it has been learnt.

Several encroachers have permanently encroached upon both sides of Ayub Road and Akbar Bazaar and footpaths in Union Council No. 2 with the alleged help of the union council nazim, naib nazim and councillors. These encroachments are causing problems for the pedestrians and shoppers and disrupting traffic. Although the TMA has begun a campaign against the encroachers, they are least concerned about it.

“This has now become most important issue of the city and the TMA should immediately begin a campaign to remove encroachers from Ayub Road and Akbar Bazaar,” a local, Muhammad Akbar, said. He said that Akbar Bazaar was the place where encroachers were openly teasing female shoppers. He said that one could not pass through the bazaar on a motorcycle or a bicycle.

A shopkeeper in the Akbar Bazaar said the union council nazim, naib nazim and councillors were sheltering these encroachers because they were their supporters and voters.

Lawyer Asghar Chohan said a special anti-encroachment squad should be formed to remove encroachers from these places. “Basically, this is due to unemployment and increasing poverty in the city,” he said, adding that the government should establish small industries in the district to reduce unemployment. He said the TMA should construct new markets for vendors so that they could run their business properly.

Traffic Police Deputy Superintendent Chaudhry Sajjad Ahmad Khan said the traffic police had told these encroachers several times not to block the Ayub Road, but in vain. “We have informed the district police officer, district coordination officer and the TMA about this problem.”

Union Council No. 2 Nazim Sheikh Fateh Ali was phoned repeatedly for his comment, but his cell phone was powered off.

Tehsil Nazim Muhammad Ali Niazi could not answer questions raised by Dawn and referred the issue to the Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO). “I am busy now and you talk to the TMO on this issue,” he said in a harsh tone.

TMO Syed Raza Mehdi Baqri said that encroachments were the result of the increasing poverty and unemployment. “The TMA is aware of this problem. It has served notices on the encroachers and fined them several times.” He said the TMA had allocated three places to vendors in the city to sell their items. They went to those places for sometime, but again returned to Ayub Road and Akbar Bazaar. He said the TMA was ready to build new markets for the vendors.