The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) Government in recent months has paid special attention to the woes of the residents of the twin cities. There were reservations regarding the development polices of the ruling party when the Government decided to launch the Metro Bus System in the twin cities while disregarding the urgent needs of the residents that included improvement in the healthcare and education sector among others. However, with Prime Minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif taking special interest in solving the problems of the twin-cities there has been a clear shift in the vision of the ruling party regarding development in the twin cities. The Government has now made the healthcare and education sector the focus of its attention which has been welcomed by the residents who are all praise for Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
However, another unaddressed concern of the residents of twin cities is the curious case of the virtual ‘free hand’ given to land grabbers and encroachers in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. State land worth billions has been lost to the land mafia that has run amok in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. There are dozens of illegal housing schemes and individuals that are not only involved in land grabbing but have also deprived the citizens of billions of rupees. The situation is so grave that the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat recently directed the Capital Development Authority to strengthen its enforcement mechanism to address rampant illegal constructions and land grabbing in the capital. It is hoped the Maryam Nawaz Sharif will personally look into this issue that has become a major concern for the residents.
The long unaddressed issue of land grabbing and encroachments in twin cities requires immediate attention.
