Editorial

Under the special directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Government of Punjab has launched a province-wide anti-encroachment campaign. Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, TMAs, and other district officials have been mobilized to clear illegally occupied public spaces. While this initiative aims to restore order and reclaim public land, its implementation has come under criticism for lacking consistency, fairness, and impartiality.

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Although Maryam Nawaz has assured that those displaced by the operation—particularly street vendors and small shopkeepers—will be offered alternative job and business opportunities, the reality on the ground paints a different picture. The enforcement appears to disproportionately target the poor and vulnerable, with hawkers, small traders, and daily earners bearing the brunt of the drive. Meanwhile, more powerful encroachers—including those affiliated with religious institutions, lawyer groups, trade unions, and politically connected individuals—continue to operate undisturbed. This selective application of the law has created a growing perception that the campaign is being implemented with bias and political influence.

Many deputy commissioners face difficulties in acting against these “hard encroachments” due to social pressure and political interference. As a result, the drive loses credibility and undermines the very principle of justice it aims to uphold.

For the anti-encroachment campaign to succeed, it must be implemented in letter and spirit, free from favoritism or fear. Encroachments, regardless of who is responsible, should be addressed equally. A truly merit-based operation requires strong political will, institutional backing, and a transparent mechanism that does not discriminate between the powerful and the powerless. Only then can the government earn public trust and restore the rule of law in a way that is both effective and equitable.