RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Wednesday removed encroachments along roadsides and razed more than six nonconforming shops.

The anti-encroachment operation was carried out by a team of RMC led by Municipal Officer Shahzad Haider.

A group of traders resisted the operation and exchanged harsh words with officials of the enforcement cell of RMC, which led to suspension of the operation at Committee Chowk for a while. However, RMC officials called the police and then resumed the operation.

During the operation, traffic was disrupted on Murree Road, Marrir Chowk, Moti Mahal, Airport Road, Rashid Minhas Road, Secretariat Number 2 and Committee Chowk.

Several ambulances carrying patients to teaching hospitals also got stuck in the traffic.

The enforcement department launched the operation on Murree Road, Liaquat Bagh and Committee Chowk and demolished shutters, boards and other encroachments.

RMC faced problems to launch the operation against encroachments due to absence of a municipal officer regulation who was transferred a few weeks ago and the deputy officer regulation was on leave.

Sensing the situation, Municipal Officer Building Shahzad Haider was asked to lead the operation.

Mr Haider told Dawn that the drive was launched after notices were served on shopkeepers. “Three shops constructed on a drain near Waris Khan were razed,” he said.

He said the shopkeepers claimed that the shops had been constructed with the approval of the RMC but failed to produce documents. He said the RMC had asked the traders to produce the original copy of approved building plans but most failed to do so.

He said the operation would commence in other parts of the city next week. He said there were clear directions from the Lahore High Court to remove encroachments.

On the other hand, Rawalpindi Traders Association President Shahid Ghafoor Paracha said the government had launched the operation to victimise traders who supported PML-N in the general elections.

He said the meeting of the traders association had been called to chalk out future plan, adding that the RMC should have taken traders on board before launching the operation.

Without issuing notices to the shopkeepers on Murree Road, the RMC brought bulldozers to raze shops.

“It is the responsibility of the civic body to inform the traders’ association before taking such actions,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2018