NAROWAL: As many as 131 shops and dozens of houses have been demolished during a grand operation against illegal encroachments and constructions launched in Narowal district.

Deputy Commissioner Syed Hassan Raza told Dawn on Thursday that the operation has been launched on the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the three tehsils of the district – Shakargarh, Zafarwal and Narowal.

He said officials of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulation Authority (Pera), Revenue Department, Municipal Committee, District Council, police, Gepco, PTCL, Rescue 1122 and other departments are taking part in the operation that is led by the respective assistant commissioners.

He said that the encroachers had been issued warnings and legal notices to remove encroachments before launching the operation, adding that around 50pc of them are cooperating with the administration.

The DC said that during the operation, encroachments would be removed according to the records of the revenue department, adding that officials measured the roads and put up signs as per the records.

He said the shops and houses demolished during the operation so far have mostly been built by influential people on the government’s land.

Meanwhile, five persons were injured during the demolition of illegal constructions, who were identified as Ishaq and Nadeem of Shakargarh tehsil, Abdullah and Fariduddin of Narowal andAshraf of Zafarwal tehsil.

On the other hand, shopkeepers Muhammad Amin and Arshad Ali opposed the operation, saying that it would further hit the traders already affected by a slowdown caused by recent floods in the district.

The local business community has demanded that the CM immediately stop the operation.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2025