KARACHI, Dec 31: Security officials of the Pakistan Steel Mills on Tuesday resorted to aerial firing after encroachers attacked them to foil their attempt to remove encroachments from Gulshan-e-Hadeed, a residential area near the PSM in the Bin Qasim Township.

The security officials turned back without accomplishing their job under the cover of the aerial firing, witnesses said.

According to an eyewitness, officials of Gulshan-e-Hadeed Committee, a driver of a PSM bulldozer was injured in the incident.

The head of the anti-encroachment team, the eyewitness said, had to order aerial firing to protect themselves from the violent mob.

Later, the encroachers blocked the traffic after setting tyres aflame on the main road.

The situation was brought under control after the rangers and police arrived at the spot.

Officials of Gulshan-e-Hadeed Committee, when contacted said operation was started after getting approval from Chairman Pakistan Steel by Union Council Gulshan-e-Hadeed and vowed, campaign against encroachments would continue.

However, the Naib Nazim of the Gulshan-e-Hadeed union council denied having made any such request to remove encroachments from the locality, saying that they had not submitted any such request.

He also described the operation as being illegal as no prior notice was issued.—PPI