Lahore infested with land grab, other crimes.

LAHORE -- The sprawling provincial capital seems to be a safe haven for criminals, especially land grabbers, who get away with their activities in most cases.

The land grabbers have allegedly taken advantage of the mushroom growth of housing societies in a decade or so, depriving people of their valuable properties. According to an estimate, the rise in the number of housing societies and massive business activities have added nearly 30 per cent crime to the city.

It is believed that the land grab has given birth to 'criminal markets/pockets', increasing insecurity, anxiety and fear among the citizens. Reports say the land mafia 'enjoys the blessings of police and revenue staff' and illegally occupies the properties of the landowners, especially in the surroundings of Ferozepur Road, Raiwind and on Multan Road where the business of the housing societies/projects is flourishing.

It is learnt that police officers of these areas spend most of the time dealing with 'disputed property matters' at the cost of controlling street crime.

Allegation of revenue staff, police connivance

A source said the 'dubious role of a senior police officer in dealing with land mafia is the talk of the town.' There were complaints, he said, that the land grabbers dispossessed the owners of their valuable properties under the nose of the police officer.

The source said the issue landed at the Central Police Office (CPO) and the IGP received complaints and he took up the matter with the chief minister for action against the officer. The Punjab government and the agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau and the Special Branch were largely playing the role of silent spectator, said the source.

He said PTI chairman Imran Khan had raised this issue once as prime minister in July 2021. Addressing the groundbreaking of various development projects in Islamabad, he said his government was introducing legislation to target the land grabbers across the country. The law, he said, was meant for mitigating the sufferings of the land grab victims.

The land grabbers are on the rampage in Lahore as they easily...