NAWABSHAH, July 16: Operation removing encroachment from forest land in Sindh has been suspended due to non-cooperation of police and rain and flood. The Forest Department launched the operation in June to secure 53,000 acres of encroached land following directives from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The Divisional Forest Officer (Directions) Hyderabad said that about 40,000 acres in katcha and 13,000 acres in pacca forests had been encroached upon in different areas besides 50,000 acres disputed illegal allotments.

The DFO Hyderabad Riaz Ahmed Wagan said the Forest Department could not move inside katcha area without police force because of hideout of criminals.

He said the Forest Department removed encroachment on 4,000 acres of pacca and 2,000 acres of katcha areas. He said non-cooperation of police had been witnessed in various areas on plea that police were busy in law and order due to security alert following the Lal Masjid operation, besides, its involvement in rain and flood operations.

In Sukkur Division, 40,000 acres were to be secured. A senior official said most of the forests in Sukkur were riverine and in katcha areas and it was not possible to move there without force as hideouts existed in upper Sindh necessitating police assistance.

However, the DIG Police Sukkur Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah denied non-cooperation by police. He said police were cooperating in removal of encroachment.

In Nawabshah, operation was suspended in forest of Mari Jalbani, Keti Jurrio, Nasiri, Pai, Lakhat, Sukhpur Jagir, Lakha Jagir, Tirchi, That Jagir, and other areas due to retaliation of encroachers and non-cooperation by police. There was encroachment on over 11,500 acres of forest land in district, out of which 1,286 acres were secured last one month. He said the Forest Department faced resistance in Mari Jalbani forest but police didn't come forward and they had to leave.

The DPO Nawabshah, Dr Ghulam Sarwar Jamali termed allegations as baseless.

The Sindh Secretary Forests, Mehboob Alam Ansari said decision to launch operation was taken at a meeting with senior NAB officials in which Provincial Police Officer (PPO) was told to direct the DPOs to cooperate with the Forest Department.

He said 4,000 acres of land had been vacated during current operation but operation was halted in parts of Sindh including Dadu, Larkana and Shikarpur due to rains and flood, whereas, the DPOs of Nawabshah and Khairpur had sought the presence of magistrate.