Islamabad - Islamabad police have booked several persons under a section of Anti-Terrorism Act and other relevant sections of law for attacking the teams of Capital Development Authority’s Enforcement Directorate and opening fire at them at two different locations during the on-going anti-encroachment drive in the city.
According to the police officials, the Bhara Kahu and Golra police came into action after the CDA’s teams were attacked at Korang Nulla Shah Pur Road Bhara Kahu and Darbar Baba Shaheed Sarkar Graveyard in sector E-11/4 of the city on October 17.
The anti-encroachment operations were planned in sector E-11 and by the Korang Nullah to vacate government land from the encroachers. When the officials reached the Korang area, they faced resistance from groups of locals, some of whom were armed.
The locals after seeing the CDA teams resorted to aerial firing and refused to clear the way for the officials to proceed with the operation. Later, more law enforcement officials were called to the areas including police reserves and personnel from the Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Anti-Riot Unit to control the situation.
According to the FIR registered at Bhara Kahu police station, at around 12:30 pm on 17 October, the CDA team along with officials of ICT administration and local police were present in the area in connection with anti-encroachment operation when Haji Farmanullah, Kamran, Abid Baloch, Fareed Khan, Mudasar, Waqas Pathan and 40-50 other men and women allegedly attacked the officials and resisted the operation. Some of them also resorted to aerial firing. However, there was no injury.
The case has been registered under section 149, 186, 353, 324, 148 of the PPC and 7-ATA
Same day, several armed persons already in the premises of Darbar Baba Shaheed Sarkar Graveyard attacked another CDA team present in sector E-11/4 along with officials of Islamabad district administration and local police. Golra police registered the case on the complaint of Muhammad Ashfaq, Assistant Director CDA’s Enforcement Directorate under section 149, 186, 353, 324, 148 of the PPC and 7-ATA. The accused have been identified as Sher Zaman, Khurram Khan, Dildar Khan, Shaheen Zaman, Riasat Khan, Bilal Khan, Chan Zeb, Saqib Khan. The police have also booked some 9 unknown persons for the crime as well. Around 12 suspects were arrested in connection with the two incidents, according to the police. The police said negotiations were conducted with the locals but they refused to cooperate with the officials claiming they had bought the land legally.
The operation in Korang was conducted to vacate forest land and land along the Korang River that has been occupied by individuals. Around 200 out of 615 kanals of encroached land in Korang and 75 kanals of land in sector E-11 was vacated during the operation.
Meanwhile, legal advisor of CDA, Kashif Ali Malik, tendered his resignation to Chairman CDA due to personal reasons. In his resignation, he did not cite anything controversial however, according to sources, the government wanted to replace him with Shahid Naseem Gondal Advocate. Kashif Malik had successfully contested CDA cases pertaining to Grand Hyatt hotel and others.
Furthermore, special squads of Islamabad police arrested 51 drug peddlers involved in supplying narcotics to students at educational institutions. The police said it recovered 21.226 kilogram hashish, 3.370 kilogram heroin, ice and tranquilizing pills from these drug pushers. SSP Islamabad Muhammad Amin Bukhari has appreciated the police performance and directed all police officials to remain vigilant in their respective areas.