ATTOCK/MURREE: Action against encroachments began in Attock and Murree on Saturday.

In Attock, a team led by Assistant Commissioner Mehreen Faheem Abbasi began the operation from Fawara Chowk and removed encroachments in front of hundreds of shops in Civil Bazaar, Meena Bazaar and Sattar Chowk.

Items worth hundreds of thousands of rupees were also confiscated, to be returned to shopkeepers after they have paid fines.

The team included Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Atif, Municipal Corporation CEO Mohammad Ameen Sheikh, Attock Tehsildar Hasan Akhtar Raja, Assistant Tehsildar Mohammad Rehan Saqib, other local administration officials and constables from the Attock and traffic police.

Ms Abbasi warned the business community to limit their activities to building lines within two days.

Speaking to the media, she said encroachments not only degraded the beauty of Attock but also inconvenience women and senior citizens.

She said citizens have difficulty moving around, and encroachments have also caused daily traffic jams.

She said indiscriminate action would be taken against encroachments at any cost to restore facilities for citizens.

The Town Municipal Administration (TMA) Murree also launched an operation against encroachment on government land.

Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Kitchi supervised the operation in Bansra Gali, Company Bagh, Charra Pani and other bazaars along Rawalpindi-Murree-Kashmir Highway and removed stalls and other installations. Police provided security to TMA staff.

Locals appreciated the drive but said it should be without discrimination.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2018