LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani has ordered that lists should be prepared with complete details regarding actions taken against land grabbers occupying public and private lands across the province and the names, data and other details of serving or retired government officers and influential persons who are supporting such elements.
The IGP issued these instructions to all the regional and district police officers including CCPO Lahore via different letters. He also sought help of the Additional IG Special Branch Punjab in preparing lists of the land grabbers and their facilitators in government departments.
"The land grabbers and their facilitators, irrespective of their positions, do not deserve any concession," the IG said in a letter, a copy of which is available with Business Recorder.
He further directed that names of alleged land grabber's associates, influential patrons, their identity card numbers, criminal records, complete address, apparent occupation/livelihood, phone numbers, support groups and the lands or properties occupied by them should be mentioned in these lists.
"It should also be ensured that whether it is commercial, residential or agricultural land. It should be written with which government officer, this mafia has a relationship/partnership in this regard," the letter reads. The lists must describe in detail their modus operandi through which they occupy commercial, residential or agricultural lands and seize government resources. The nexus of government officials or influential people having close ties with the land mafia are doing this disgusting business, the letter says.
It asked all the senior police officers that these lists "based upon necessary information" should be sent to the central police office (CPO) by Wednesday, October 28. The IG advised the senior command to use only "reliable information" to encircle active groups and criminals occupying public and private lands in Punjab.
"Only reliable and authentic information should be included in these lists so that the operation against the occupation mafia can be made more effective and these anti-social elements can be brought to justice," he asserted and added that details of land grabbers and their facilitators having previous criminal history be made part of these lists. The letter reiterated that the required information must be sent to the CPO within the stipulated time.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020