MUZAFFARGARH: Kot Addu Deputy Commissioner Syed Munwwar Abbas Bukhari retrieved more than 33 kanal land worth Rs200 million at Head Taunsa Barrage from illegal occupiers, dismantling their shops and markets.

The influential people had occupied the land more than 50 years back. The government had ordered its retrieval many times in the past but the local politicians would stop the operation. This time Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered the Kot Addu DC who sent the notices to the occupants to vacate the area within a week and a team under Assistant Commissioner Asghar Leghari launched the operation. It destroyed the markets and shops along the Head Taunsa Barrage while the DC supervised the operation.

On the other hand, the visitors said the market was called a fish market where the tourists and visitors could sit for eating fish. Some other residents claimed that the government itself should set up markets along the barrage and earn money on a daily basis.

The DC said he had received a list of the government land occupied by the land grabbers and a grand operation had been started in the area to retrieve the occupied land. He said cases would be registered against the illegal occupiers.

Interestingly, in the Kot Addu district, no one parliamentarian is from the ruling parties because two NA seats and four PA seats were won by the PTI. Only one woman reserved seat was awarded to Hina Rabbani Khar.

LIFE TERM: A man was on Monday handed down life imprisonment along with Rs50,000 fine for rape of a seven-year-old girl three months back in Sarwar Shaheed City police precincts.

Three months ago, a seven-year-old girl was raped by Yahya at Mohallah Zargaran.

DPO Syed Hasnain Haider took notice and formed a police team under the leadership of SDPO Circle Sarwar Shaheed Azhar Sangi. The station house officer and Sub Inspector Tahir Baloch were assigned the case. The police team, using modern technology, completed the investigation on merit and presented the accused with all the evidence in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Mehmood Hayat.

Based on the thorough investigation and evidence, the court sentenced Yahya to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs50,000.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2024