KASUR: Several anti-encroachment drives conducted in Kasur district over the past few months have failed to yield permanent results. As soon as these drives conclude, vendors reoccupy the spaces retrieved by municipal committees (MCs) and local police teams.

It is believed that the lack of a viable plan, corruption within the MCs, absence of checks and balances, political interference, and poor follow-up measures are the key factors hindering efforts to keep Kasur free of encroachments.

Encroachment is an offense under Sections 132 and 134, read with the 5th schedule of the Punjab Local Government Act of 2013, which prohibits any person from making moveable or immoveable encroachments on open spaces or land managed by local government authorities.

Despite three anti-encroachment drives across the district in recent weeks, the reoccupation of public spaces highlights the ineffectiveness of the district administration. Interestingly, the administration, acknowledging its failure to remove encroachments permanently, did not launch a massive drive in December’s third week, as ordered by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

The district administration managed to remove several illegal permanent and temporary structures from several areas in Kasur, Chunian, Allahabad, Theeng Mor, Kot Radha Kishan and Pattoki.

However, some shopkeepers accuse the administration of discriminatory practices in removing encroachments. They say that shopkeepers with ties to local parliamentarians and influential individuals are spared, while poor vendors bear the brunt of the operation.

Mahmood Ali, pushcart owner, said that the operation had deprived him and many other vendors of their livelihoods. Meanwhile, citizens, such as Shafique Ahmed, Habib Ali and Shahzad Ali criticised the district administration’s inability to take a firm stand against the powerful encroachment mafia.

An MC official, seeking anonymity, said that the administration often faced strong resistance from traders, shopkeepers and politicians. Recently, shopkeepers and vendors attacked an MC team, led by the Chunian assistant commissioner (AC), snatched back confiscated items and raised slogans against the administration at Allahabad Chowk. Police later registered a criminal case against the attackers.

Vendors have demanded alternative arrangements for their carts and strict action against corrupt officials who allegedly accept bribes to allow encroachments.

Chunian AC Anwarul Haq stated that operations are being conducted daily due to the repeated re-encroachments. He added that permanent structures were removed during the last drive and that the administration is monitoring the areas to prevent reconstruction.

Munir Ahmed, president of the traders’ union in Allahabad, said that local MPA Ahsan Raza mediated between traders and the administration. He said that the administration had allowed traders to encroach up to five feet of the road from their establishments instead of 10 feet. Despite such leniency, shopkeepers and vendors often violate these limits.

Traders and vendors have criticized the administration for failing to involve stakeholders in planning the anti-encroachment drives, arguing that this one-sided approach exacerbates conflicts.

Locals such as Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Ali, Abdul Ghaffar, and Ali Raza pointed out that Allahabad Chowk, a hub for over 100 villages, is home to more than 2,000 shops and stalls, along with rickshaw and bus stands. They suggested penalizing shopkeepers who charge daily rent from vendors for setting up carts outside their shops.

Muhammad Talha, a resident, noted that parking spaces for bikes and cars are often unavailable, and traffic police present at these locations fail to take action.

Asif Ali Khokhar, president of the Anjuman Tajran of Railway Road, blamed corruption within the MCs, the greed of shopkeepers, and poor planning for the recurring failure of anti-encroachment efforts. He also accused district officers of prioritizing self-promotion on social media over effective action.

Residents like Jamil Ahmed, Muhammad Javid, Shaukat Pervez Bhatti, Ali Shah Nawaz and Azfar Ali suggested that the administration should launch awareness campaigns and engage all stakeholders, including traders, vendors, shopkeepers, and public representatives. They demanded a rehabilitation plan for affected people to prevent conflicts and ensure the success of anti-encroachment initiatives.

Kasur MC Chief Officer Kashif Mahmood said that he had instructed officials to conduct regular follow-ups after the anti-encroachment operations. He said that notices had been issued to three enforcement officers regarding re-encroachment in the city’s busy areas.

Administrator and Additional Deputy Commissioner General (ADCG) Umar Awais said that all 11 municipal committees in the district were diligently working to remove encroachments, despite facing significant backlash from traders and vendors.

He said that ensuring public convenience was a shared responsibility of the administration and traders, urging all parties to cooperate to create accessible spaces for buyers. However, he acknowledged that anti-encroachment drives often dealt a harsh blow to local businesses.

When asked about the legal procedures, Awais clarified that serving people notices was unnecessary when announcements were made publicly, or when operations were conducted on a large scale.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2025