September 16, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 15, 1429

KARACHI, Sept 15: The government has decided in principle to launch a massive anti-encroachment operation to retrieve hundreds of acres of government land in the outskirts of the city from land-grabbers, it has been reliably learnt.

All coalition partners in the government, including Awami National Party, will be taken on board for the operation, which is likely to be launched after Eid-ul-Fitr.

The plan is being prepared in the backdrop of a meeting held last week at the Governor’s House between the prime minister’s adviser on interior affairs Rehman Malik, the city government and provincial government representatives.

The meeting discussed the likely threat of Talibanisation to the city and analysed whether the threat was real or percieved.

The sources privy to the meeting said the agencies concerned gave detailed presentations, indicating that land-grabbers in connivance with some police officials were instrumental in providing shelter to some people in the periphery of the city.

The encroachers had not only deprived the government of precious land worth billion of rupees but also threatened the security of the citizens by running this lucrative business for the last few decades.

After the detailed presentations by city government officials and law enforcers, Mr Malik asked the provincial government and the inspector-general of police to chalk out a comprehensive plan to rid the city of illegal katchi abadis recently set up on encroached land along the Super Highway.

In view of the sanctity of Ramazan, rising mercury, prolonged and frequent power outages, the government has slowed down the implementation of the plan. The sources said the plan was in final stages but not likely to be made operational before Eid-ul-Fitr.