NANKANA SAHIB: At least two security officials and 14 policemen injured in clash with encroachers during an anti-encroachment drive by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in Nankana to retrieve occupied land. The incident took place near Nankana Bypass on Saturday, when a mob also set ablaze the office of Auqaf Department during the operation and torched two vehicles. They pelted stones at the vehicle of ETPB Chairman Siddiqul Farooq. The injured officials and policemen were shifted to DHQ Hospital Sheikhupura for treatment. Farooq while condemning the incident alleged that PML-N MPA Zulqarnain Haider was backing the land mafia. “MPA Zulqarnain Haider and Councillor Chaudhry Riaz are land grabbers and Chaudhry Riaz is a henchman man of Haider. These groups have illegally occupied 45 kanal land valuing Rs 40 million,” he said. He alleged that Riaz was doing the “illegal job” and his men were responsible for setting the office on fire and attacking the anti-encroachment staff and the police personnel. He said that cases will be registered against them for interfering in state affairs. “The land is owned by the trust and will be retrieved from them,” he added. “I will talk to the Punjab chief minister and Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) about wrongdoings of the land mafia,” he said. On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and sought detailed report from the IGP.
