RAWALPINDI: The district administration and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) accompanied by the local police on Wednesday launched a grand operation to retrieve 20 kanals worth Rs4 billion and razed two restaurants and two marquees in Wilayat Complex, Bahria Town Phase-7.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue retired Capt Shoaib Ali, Assistant Commissioner Saddar Mehar Ghulam Abbas and Assistant Commissioner City Waqas Safdar Sikandari along with RDA officials and local police supervised the operation.

“Operation against the illegal constructions was carried out in Wilayat Complex, Bahria Town Phase-7, where PML-N Senator Chaudhry Tanveer has illegally occupied 20 kanals which had been allocated for Shahrai Aam (road),” a senior official of the district administration told Dawn.

He said multiple buildings including marquees, refreshment centres, cafes and hotels were found violating the layout plans and were demolished as per the orders of the RDA.

“The district administration as per orders of the Punjab chief minister has issued strict instructions to all line departments to map out illegal encroachments and take strict action against them,” said Deputy Commissioner retired Capt Anwarul Haq while talking to Dawn when he was approached to comment on the operation.

Two restaurants, two marquees razed in Wilayat Complex; PML-N leader Chaudhry Tanveer’s son says administration’s action in violation of court orders

On the other hand, RDA spokesman said two illegally-constructed restaurants, two marquees and commercial buildings on plot numbers 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 37 and 38 in Wilayat Complex were demolished.

In compliance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, RDA Director General Chaudhry Maqbool Ahmed directed the civic authority’s Land Use and Building Control (LU&BC) wing to actively conduct operations against illegal/unauthorised commercial cum residential construction activities.

He said the owners of these properties, Chaudhry Tanveer, Sheikh Aamir and G.M. Imtiaz, were constructing illegal commercial buildings without approval/NOC and in violation of Punjab Development of Cities Act 1976 and RDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2020.

“Notices had already been issued to the owners of the illegally-constructed buildings and structures,” he added.

The RDA spokesman said the director general had asked the the Land Use and Building Control Wing to take strict action against illegal constructions and commercial activities without any fear and favour.

However, Barrister Danial Chaudhry, son of Chaudhry Tanveer, told Dawn that the administration’s action was in violation of court orders as there had been stay orders issued against demolishing buildings till the decision of the courts.

“But, the administration and RDA took action to please the PTI government in the Centre and province,” he said, adding that, “though, the land belonged to his family, they sold it to the present owners of the marquees and restaurants”.

Barrister Danial Chaudhry said they would move the courts against this illegal action, adding that land was in possession of people who constructed commercial buildings.

“The PTI government had an agenda to make people unemployed,” he said.

Naveed Abbas, an owner of a marquee, said they had court’s stay order, but the administration razed the buildings without any prior notice to the owners which would be challenge in the courts.

Meanwhile, Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood called a meeting of deputy commissioners of the four districts of Rawalpindi Division and asked them to expedite operation against illegal constructions from their respective areas on the directives of Punjab government.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2021