LAHORE: In what appears to be a ‘politically motivated action’, a team of the Lahore city district administration on Tuesday visited the PML-N central secretariat at Model Town and seized appurtenance.

The place (180-H) was previously the residence of former premier Nawaz Sharif.

The officials led by an assistant commissioner seized generators and other articles besides the mini grid station. They also launched an operation at 96-H, Model Town, which is the residence of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and removed various articles on the pretext of an ‘anti-encroachment operation’.

“It was purely an anti-encroachment operation and there was no political reason behind this. Since the matter had been pending for long, we undertook the operation and retrieved three open spaces which were meant to be used as public parks,” Model Town AC Zeeshan Ranjha told Dawn.

“This operation was not a politically motivated action. The deputy commissioner as a matter of routine had asked us in a meeting to remove encroachments,” he said.

Officials seize articles at PML-N secretariat, Shahbaz’s residence

Mr Ranjha said the team removed generators, mini grid station, rooms and toilets constructed for the police officials on duty, parking area and a cricket pitch.

“We deployed officials to look after the articles so that we could hand over these to the owners. We have not registered any case,” he said. He said the parks would be operational for the public on Wednesday (today).

The city administration’s action is being taken as a ‘politically motivated’ one especially after PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz’s press conference in which she played a video of the accountability judge who issued verdict against Nawaz Sharif.

“The administration should have avoided this and waited for a suitable time to do so,” said a source.

Lahore DC was not available for comment.

Speaking to Dawn, a PML-N leader claimed that the action was part of political victimisation.

“It is just political revenge being taken by the PTI. Everyone knows that the PML-N is becoming more and more popular in the public and the PTI is employing all possible tactics to undermine the PML-N,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2019