LAHORE: The City administration on Monday launched a massive anti-encroachment operation at Shahalam Market – Punjab’s oldest and biggest wholesale business hub. It demolished 10 shops, sealed a plaza and dismantled ramps and illegal structures.

“We have launched the operation and we will demolish all unlawfully built shops in the market and a plaza constructed on the state owned land,” Deputy Commissioner Saleh Saeed told Dawn.

The market, known as Shahalmi in local parlance, existed long before the Partition and it was named after Mughal emperor Shahalam. Prior to his death, Shahalam Gate was named as Bherwala Gate. During the riots that erupted in 1947, the Shahalam Gate was burnt along with shops, mainly owned by the Hindu community of Lahore. They had to flee to India after the riots.

The city administration, which desires to see the market in line with its 1934 map, constituted a team, headed by Assistant Commissioner (City) Ahmad Raza Butt. However, when the team along with several police officials reached the area at about 10am and started dismantling ramps, extended structures, it faced resistance from shopkeepers. Following resistance, the DC sent AC (Admin) Asim Saleem and another one to the site in a bid to control the situation.

Shopkeepers resist the officials, claiming to have ownership documents

The shopkeepers launched a protest, chanting slogans against the government for demolishing the shops they had purchased. They showed registry, mutation documents of their properties to the ACs. But most of the documents, according to officials, were made unlawfully.

“We are surprised that the shops, whether built in the corridors or the plazas, were purchased by the shopkeepers some 30 years ago. At that time, the shops were transferred after Intiqal (mutations) were passed by the revenue officers (tehsildars, patwaris, sub-registrars etc). Why the then government didn’t take action if the shops were illegal. And why the mutations were passed by the officials,” deplored Bisharat, a shopkeeper in the market while talking to this reporter. He demanded the government verify the property documents with revenue records and demolish only such shops as had no revenue record.

According to a spokesman for the city administration, various shopkeepers had shown their property documents to AC Asim Saleem.

“But most of the documents proved fake. So the admin would continue its operation till demolition of all the illegal shops,” he added.

DC Ms Saeed, however, said she had directed the ACs not to touch the shops of vendors having genuine documents.

“Most of the shopkeepers continued arguing with the officials without showing any proof. So our team demolished some shops. However, those having genuine documents wouldn’t be affected,” she said and added that a plaza, comprising 50/60, shops had been sealed since it was built on the state land.

It was only sealed after the shopkeepers pledged to show their property documents by Tuesday (today).

“If their documents prove wrong, we will demolish the entire plaza. Similarly, the shops built in corridors would surely be demolished,” she added. To a question, the DC said she would also take action against the officials involved in issuing registries, mutations etc of such properties.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2018