CHAKWAL: The tehsil administration on Thursday launched a massive operation against encroachments, retrieving state land.

The operation was supervised by Chakwal Assistant Commissioner Muzaffar Mukhtar who had the support of Deputy Commisioner retired Captain Abdul Sattar Esani.

The administration staff demolished a market having 11 shops and was located adjacent to assistant commissioner office.

On Wednesday evening, the assistant commissioner also sealed a plaza which was allegedly built in 1997 on Punjab government’s land.

AC Muzaffar Mukhtar also sent notices to 40 encroachers and directed them to present their ownership documents by Sept 15.

“This market had a covered area of 15 marlas which means currently its value is more than Rs 150m,” AC Muzaffar told Dawn.

“Before launching demolition drive, all shopkeepers were given time to vacate the shops,” AC Muzaffar said.

The retrieved land will be annexed with Tehsil Chowk in a bid to widen the busiest square of the city, he added.

He said as District Headquarters Hospital was located near Tehsil Chowk, and patients had to face traffic snarl ups at this square, therefore, the administration had decided to set up an emergency lane by annexing this retrieved land with the square.

According to the land record shared with Dawn as many as 13 kanals of land located around Hospital Road, in the centre of the city is under illegal occupation. Scores of shops are built at this land including three plazas.

Khawja Babar Salim, one of the owners of Dhan Kahoon Plaza, which was sealed by AC, while talking to Dawn said that this land was bought by his father in 1947 from Nanak Shah, a Hindu resident of Chakwal city.

“In 1967, our father built a hotel on this land and that hotel was known as “Awami Hotel while in 1997 we have started construction of Dhan Kahoon Plaza. AC is acting illegally,” he said and added that he would move High Court against the move.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2019