LAHORE: A three-member inquiry committee by the chief minister to probe into the May 14 Nankana incident has called the Evacuee Trust Property Board’s (ETPB’s) anti-encroachment operation a poorly coordinated one. ETPB Chairman Siddiqul Farooq did not consult the local administration and police on the operation and only relied on the officials of his local zonal office.
The team recommended the removal of ETPB Nankana zone deputy administrator Muhammad Ishaq from the post for distorting the facts and carrying out a ‘selective’ clean-up operation.
The committee consisted of Additional Inspector General Arif Nawaz, Lahore Commissioner Abdullah Sumbal and Home Department special secretary Dr Shoaib Akbar.
The team probed into the May 14 incident when ETPB officials, led by Mr Farooq, carried out the operation to retrieved land at Karmanwala Chowk, Kot Santram only to face a violent protest. Protesters burnt the ETPB office forcing the team to halt the action. Tenants, police officials and ETPB guards were injured in scuffles while officials’ motorcycles and Mr Farooq’s official vehicle were damaged.
An official said the report had been submitted to the provincial government to be forwarded to the federal government.
The body member, he said, visited Nankana Sahib, and met ETPB, local administration and police personnel, tenants, politicians and independent sources.
The report says the ETPB deputy administrator lacked integrity and would carry out cleanup operations at the places of his own choice. The May 14 operation was also a selective one.
The reports says Mr Farooq should not have led the operation. “Mr Farooq also had a pistol in his hand while leading the operation. And he shouldn’t have carried a weapon in his hand,” he added.
The official contradicted Mr Farooq’s accusation of the involvement of local MPA Malik Zulqarnain Dogar of land grab. The official said no fault on the part of Mr Dogar could be established.
He said Nankana Sahib was an important city because of the Sikh community, so the ETPB should treat it carefully. Last year, the Sikhs quarreled with the ETPB chief for treating them rudely and not allowing them to visit temples other than the Baba Gur Nanak’s Janamasthan. “Next month, there is a major Sikh event in Nankana and many Sikhs pilgrims will be there. The ETPB shouldn’t damage Pakistan’s soft image,” the official said, adding there should be cooperation between the ETOB and the local administration.
He said the committee had also recommended the federal government to engage the Federal Investigation Agency to probe into land grabbing issues.
Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2016
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