Rawalpindi (Staff Reporter): Residents of Gulistan-e-Akbar, commonly known as Khalid Kareem Town, adjacent to Gulistan Colony Rawalpindi, have expressed strong anger over recent illegal activities taking place in the area. Citizens allege that for several weeks, illegal soil dumping along the banks of Nullah Lai, encroachment on government land, and rising environmental pollution have made life miserable for the entire community.
According to the residents, since the excavation work for the Kachehri Chowk underpass began, more than 300 dump trucks daily have been dumping soil and debris illegally along the banks of Nullah Lai and on land owned by the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA). This activity has damaged roads, disrupted traffic, filled homes with dust, and caused serious health issues among children, elderly citizens, and the general population.
Residents further claim that individuals associated with the unapproved housing scheme, Khalid Kareem Town, are attempting to alter the natural flow of Nullah Lai by dumping soil and are trying to bring government land under their illegal use — an act that may lead to severe urban flooding in the future.
They warned that the narrowing of Nullah Lai’s natural watercourse due to continuous dumping could cause dangerous urban flooding in congested and shallow parts of Rawalpindi, particularly Raja Bazaar and surrounding localities, which are historically the most vulnerable areas where flooding severely impacts the human population during monsoon seasons.
The residents have urged the administration, RDA, EPA, and the City Police Officer Rawalpindi to take urgent notice and immediately halt the illegal dumping, warning that failure to act promptly may worsen the situation and cause irreversible damage.
Citizens have demanded the registration of FIRs against the land mafia, proper demarcation of government land, immediate repair of damaged roads, and increased police patrolling for continuous monitoring of the area. Despite multiple calls to the Civil Lines Police Station and Traffic Police, residents complain that the police are showing traditional negligence and taking no effective action.
The residents continue to look toward the Government of Punjab with hope. They have also made a strong appeal to the Chief Minister of Punjab to award exemplary punishment to the land mafia and ensure that soil-laden dump trucks are restricted to government-approved dumping locations only.
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