TAXILA: As the district administration on Tuesday launched the second phase of its crackdown against encroachments, land in four different areas worth millions of rupees was retrieved while legal action was initiated against those involved in grabbing and occupying state land.

Deputy Commissioner Ali Annan Qammar told reporters that Jand Tehsil Administration, under supervision of Assistant Commissioner Ijaz Abdul Kareem, had launched a crackdown against land mafia in Tarap Union Council and removed encroachments from two different main roads of the town.

He said market value of the land was around Rs2 million, adding that the team also retrieved illegally occupied land on Jand-Marri Road from land grabbers whose market value was Rs10.2 million.

Mr Annan said a team of the administration in Pindigheb led by Assistant Commissioner Haider Abbas launched a crackdown to retrieve land of the Evacuee Trust Property Board vacated by minorities.

He said market value of the building is around Rs10 million, adding that legal action will be taken against the occupants for demolishing one portion of the building and selling building material illegally.

There is no space for land grabbers in the district, the deputy commissioner said.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2021