SARGODHA: The district government on Friday removed encroachment from three markets.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of an assistant commissioner and the DSPs city and traffic in Muslim Bazaar, Liaquat Market and on Hamid Shah Road. The team, assisted by police, pulled down projections which would obstruct traffic.

When the traders learnt about the operation, they rushed to their respective shops and also contacted parliamentarians of the ruling party and office-bearers of trade organisations. Traders led by Market Committee chairman Zahid Kamboh set ablaze tyres and created hurdles in removing encroachment prompting police to arrest some of them.

MPA Abdul Razzaq Dhilon reached the spot after hearing about the operation and asked the administration to stop action for few hours so that he might talk to the provincial authorities but the official team went ahead according to the plan.

The district administration officials said they had asked the traders to remove encroachment voluntarily but they did not pay heed and forced the authorities to take action. They said the operation would be carried out in other markets as well.

District Coordination Officer Saqib Manan said the clean-up operation was launched on the instructions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and it would continue till removal of encroachment from all the commercial areas of the city. He advised the traders to remove encroachment within a day to avoid action.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2015

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