Abdul Khaliq Qureshi Abbottabad
District Administration Abbottabad in a operation against illegal encroachments by Land mafia has taken grand operation on Mansehra Road near Police check post Muslim Abad here on Saturday & Sunday and demolished newly constructed illegal building while recovering one kenal commercial land worth of more than 30 million rupees.
The operation was part of the local administration drive against the land grabbers in the city who have illegally occupied public property with the connivance of black sheeps in government departments.
Earlier in a similar operation in Cantonment area Abbottabad, Local administration with active support of Cantonment Board Abbottabad took action against 385 houses which have illegally encroached extra land beside demolishing 197 retaining walls, 22 shops and removing 22 culverts in the city.
The general public has been awaiting the claims of local Administration for taking similar drive in Tehsil Muncipal Administratin (TMA) area where nullahs and public property has been encroached.
Assistant Commissioner Abbottabad Ehsan Ahsan supervised the anti encroachment operation made against the Land Mafia by using machinery and demolished the newly constructed market and plaza by the influential land grabbers.
It has been learnt that said building was constructed in short span of three weeks time at Muslim Abad on the land owned by National Highway Authority (NHA) with the active support of press and police.
It was further learnt that Land grabbers have use to identify and select open spaces with the connivance of relevant departments and gradually starting construction.
Interesting this construction was objected by different quarters including social media on which NHA has sought the support of local administration.
NHA in its letter to Assistant Commissioner Abbottabad dated 18th November 2021 stated that Deputy Director Maintenance NHA issued notices u/s 12 of NHA Act 1991 to one Matiu zaman and Fakhar uz Zaman for construction of illegal shops on NHA row near Police check post salhad-1.” Halqa Patwari and Circle Girdawar also visited the spot and found the said encroachment”.
They requested the administration for providing necessary magisterial cover for carrying out anti encroachment operation adding that notices for removal of encroachments have already been served to the encroachers. The operation supervised by the Assistant Commissioner bulldozed the entire market.