Islamabad News

Encroachers occupy hospital front Monday, July 21, 2008 Malik Ayub Sumbal Rawalpindi The encroachers have not even spared the footpath in front of the Rawalpindi General Hospital that causes problems for the pedestrians as well as patients. The city government failed to eliminate the illegal encroachers from various parts of the city as these vendors still occupying most of the footpaths and public places. This is also a bus stop and both patients and pedestrians hardly find the space to board on transport causing serious threat to them. “I am sitting here for the last six years and I never thought to get permission for setting up a stall,” Sher Alam, an encroacher told, ‘The News’ Sunday. Akber Ali, a cart vendor said, “People should walk on the road, it’s not illegal, if footpath is the right of pedestrians, then where our right is.” Jan Muhammed, a fruit vendor said, “I had set up the business some eight years ago. However PRO Rawal Town Tahir Khan when contacted said, “the anti-encroachment operations launched many a time but they return to the place soon after the operation. Their carts confiscated time and again but due to unemployment and poverty it is not possible to completely eliminate encroachments,” he added.