FAISALABAD: Officials of the Rescue 1122 have requested the district administration to save the state land from the grabbers who are using it for cattle market but the administration has allegedly turned a blind eye to the issue.

Assistant Commissioner (city) Ayub Bukhari who prepared a report on this fraud claims that no letter had been dispatched to the district administration. He said two letters were dispatched after registration of a case just to cover their (rescue officials’) illegal act.

The rescue officials claim to have been requesting the district administration for a couple of years to make arrangements to save land from the grabbers who set up a cattle market for the sacrificial animals. Instead of moving against the delinquent officials of the district administration, the Anti-Corruption Establishment registered a case against Rescue 1122 district head Ahtesham Wahla, computer operator Maqsood, driver Asif, two private contractors Kashif and his brother Asif Khan under different sections of the PPC with no arrest.

First letter was forwarded to the district administration by the Rescue 1122 officials on Aug 8, 2018. It said the “Rescue owns a piece of land measuring 19 acres and three kanals at Niamoana. An illegal Mandi is going to be established at the site as the land is adjacent to the model cattle market at Niamoana. It is requested to please look into the matter and remove the encroachment from site.”

Similarly, a letter of the same nature was dispatched on Aug 2, 2019, and in another letter sent on July 25 last year, Mr Wahla again requested the district administration that a cattle market is established for Eidul Azha and vendors spread out of the declared space for the market. He said such vendors had occupied the Rescue Lines land for sale and purchase of animals.

Three letters were forwarded to the district administration and police as well on July 3, 8 and 12.

AC Bukhari had moved against the fraudsters on June 27 last and Mr Wahla sent a letter to the AC (city) for action against the encroachers on July 3 and requested him for an action against the encroachers.

July 12 letter was addressed to the SSP (operations) for action against the encroachers.

Sources privy to the development told Dawn that the ACE officials had visited the spot and recorded the statements of the vendors and others to ascertain the facts. The officials had also been informed by the rescue employees that due to negligence and lethargic attitude of the district administration officials the land grabbers set up cattle market every year on the state land.

After a probe into the issue of setting up an illegal cattle market, the city assistant commissioner established with the testimonies of different people that police helped fraudsters extort millions of rupees from the sacrificial animal sellers.

However, the ACE did not book the responsible policemen as principal accused and mentioned in the case that their role would be determined in the investigation.

The ACE officials mentioned that the case had been registered after the inquiry but the FIR is also silent about the role of the cattle management company incumbents.

ACE Faisalabad Director Wahid Arjumand was approached with different queries on Monday and a reminder was also given him to reply but he did not respond.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2021