NAROWAL: The district administration has failed to fully implement the government’s drive against encroachments and illegal structures with three unsuccessful operations in the Narowal city.

On the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, a grand operation was launched against encroachments and illegal construction across Punjab. In district Narowal, partial operations were carried out in Shakargarh and Zafarwal tehsils against illegal encroachments and constructions. However, a similar operation could not be carried out in Narowal city though the authorities launched the operations thrice.

On the instructions of the deputy commissioner, the assistant commissioner and the municipal committee chief officer launched an anti-encroachment operation in the city four months ago. The anti-encroachment team only removed temporary encroachments on the Circular Road before the operation was stopped. Sometime later, the shopkeepers once again made temporary shops there.

Seven days before Eidul Fitr, the second operation was launched in the city, starting from the Zafarwal Bypass, an important entry point of the city. Once again, the operation was stopped on the instruction of Narowal DC after an agreement with the business community. As per the agreement, the operation was to resume after Eid; however, the district administration failed to do so.

Five days before Eidul Azha, the administration launched yet another operation on the road entering the city from Zafarwal Bypass and the team removed shades of five to seven shops with heavy machinery. But this operation too was halted.

The revenue department had identified encroachments and illegal constructions from Zafarwal Bypass to Chowk Hussaini and Old Katcheri Chowk some months earlier. According to their findings, shopkeepers had extended their shops between five and 25 feet on both sides of the road. It is a busy road as the district’s largest Govt Girls College is also situated on this road besides branches of many banks. The encroachments have made life difficult for citizens there.

Talking to Dawn, Mohammad Riaz, a resident of the area, said there were encroachments and illegal construction on Railway Road and the Main Bazaar.

He said a passenger bus used to ply through the bazaar but now it was even difficult to pass on a motorcycle or rickshaw. He blamed the district administration for the situation, saying that it was helpless against the strong business community.

Narowal Deputy Commissioner Syed Hassan Raza said the operation against illegal encroachments and construction would be restarted soon.

He said the administration did not want to harm the business community that had made investments.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2025