BAHAWALNAGAR, Aug 31: Haroonabad city police registered a ‘land grabbing’ case against Punjab Assembly’s outspoken Deputy Opposition Leader Shaukat Basra of the Pakistan People’s Party and his brother on Thursday night for occupying ’12-foot state land’.

The case (No 353/12) was registered under Section 447 of the Pakistan Penal Code against Mr Basra and his brother on the complaint of the Haroonabad tehsil municipal officer.

According to the FIR, Mr Basra and his brother illegally occupied 12 feet land in front of their residence at Chak 51/4R on Gulab Ali Road and constructed a structure on it.

Meanwhile, Mr Basra told Dawn telephonically that the action was nothing but ‘political victimisation’ of his person and his family, claiming that the structure on the land was built after getting its map approved.

He said the action was aimed at muffling his voice and to cow him but he would face it bravely.

He said his political rivals had encroached upon a vast piece of land in the city which he would point out for its retrieval.

On the other hand, TMO Anwar Javed claimed the case registered against Mr Basra was part of a routine action against illegal occupants, and there was no element of political victimisation involved in the matter.

He said no one could be allowed to commit breach of law under any pretext, adding Mr Basra was not singled out for the action as notices were also being served to other encroachers.