Illegal commercialisation of Model Town

: Residents waiting for action against by-law violators

By Afnan Khan

LAHORE: Residents of Model Town Society (MTS) still await action against people using residential plots for commercial activity.

Offices, private schools and even the office of the Special Investigation Unit, a wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), are still operational in the MTS.

Recently, the MTS administration handed over a list of more than 150 residential sites to the quarters concerned. The residents said they were living under constant threat after suicide bombers attacked the FIA office in the area on March 11.

A Model Town Residents Association (MTRA) official alleged the MTS administration was responsible for the illegal commercial activity. He said the MTS administration had complained to MTS officials about commercial activity in residential plots, but no action had been taken so far.

MTS President Col (r) Tahir Kardar said he had requested the government to remove sensitive offices from the area after the blast at the FIA office. He said he had sent a list of such offices to the district coordination officer, chief secretary (CS) and chief minister (CM) for immediate eviction from the area.

He said, “The MTS administration can disconnect electricity and water supply or charge these offices on a commercial basis. 20 percent of the illegal offices belong to the government.”

He said he had visited FIA and other security agency officials asking them to remove their offices from the MTS, but to no avail.

“I tried to convince them, but powerful people often pressure us not to take action against the violators.” He said the MTS was planning to cancel the membership of violators.

Chief Secretary (CS) Javed Mehmood said, “Setting up government offices and markets in a residential area is illegal. I will order federal and international departments concerned to remove their offices from the area.”