HARIPUR: Some local leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have swung into action and are using their political clout to defer the ongoing anti-encroachment drive launched in the Hairpur city a month ago to avoid any dent in their vote bank and wrath of the people as the general elections are fast approaching.

Informed sources told Dawn that some PTI leaders, who had earlier approached the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary for delaying the operation, have once again intensified efforts to defer the campaign at least till completion of the general elections as they believe the process of reclaiming illegally occupied land from the occupants, many of whom close to the political figures, has political ramifications for them.

The anti-encroachment drive was launched on the directives of the chief secretary, with the district administration selecting the GPO road to start with.

During the first days of the operation the squad comprising TMA officials, police and administrative officers, razed around 30 shops, extended portions of two private hospitals, double-storey plazas and a couple of houses.

According to Abrar Alvi, assistant tehsil officer revenue, the civic authority has reclaimed five to 10 feet of government land that had been under illegal occupation on the right side of the GPO road for last several years.

After the operation that witnessed little resistance from the people, the TMA authorities left the reclaimed portions of the road without clearing.

Some people tried to reoccupy the land but Haripur deputy commissioner imposed a 60-day ban under section 144 of the CrPc.

Some of the affected people have also moved court accusing the civic authorities of violating TMA’s construction maps that it issued to them several years ago.

The sources said the TMA authorities had yet to make a plan for using the reclaimed land on GPO road.

Waheed, a shopkeeper, said the district administration and TMA had taken similar actions in the past that were only targeted against those who were having no political backing, or pushcart owners.

He said there were some influential families and businessmen who had been occupying state land illegally but the authorities were unable to take action against them.

When approached, Abrar Alvi said the TMA had a plan for widening GPO road and would soon implement it once the litigation that some of the affected occupants had started, was over. He said the authorities had decided to launch operation on Rai Aama Road from the current week.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2018