SHEIKHUPURA: Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq on Saturday said legal action would be taken against responsible persons involved in Nankana incident.
Addressing a pressing conference at Nankana, he said that the clash occurred when the ETPB and police started operation against land grabbers in Sant Ram village. He reiterated that the operation against land grabbers would continue to retrieve the board’s property at every cost.
Farooq said the operation against encroachments was planned, adding the DPO and DCO were already informed in this regard. During the operation, some people gathered and put up resistance. “They also opened fire at the police and officials of the ETPB besides attacking on my car in which my two guards received injuries,” he said.
Farooq’s statement comes following the operation against land grabbers at Nankana, in which two ETPB employees and few cops were injured
Earlier on Saturday, the Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department of Punjab launched an operation against encroachment and demolished dozens of illegally-constructed houses and other buildings.
However, the land grabbers gathered there and started protest against the operation. According to media reports, the protesters ‘ordered’ local shopkeepers to close their shops and join them in their protest demonstration.
Six motor bikes were burnt by the ‘unidentified’ men during the violent protest. Private TV channels showed video footages in which minor protesters can be seen destroying record and furniture of the Auqaf Department. The protesters also hurled stones at the ETPB chief’s vehicle.
Talking to the channel, the ETPB chairman said that he was hopeful that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif would support his struggle against illegal constructions in Nankana. “We are not against anyone but we are taking actions against illegal constructions in Nankana,” he said.
