Anti-encroachment drive will continue regardless of political influence, says Talal

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Saturday said the capital's anti-encroachment campaign would continue regardless of political influence, questioning the legality of a security cabin and generator at the residence of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and terming the defence of encroachments ‘inappropriate’. The remarks came a day after the Capital Development Authority (CDA) issued an encroachment notice at Fazl's residence, identifying illegal constructions and encroachments on its land and directing their removal within 15 days. The notice came amid an escalating war of words between the government and Fazl, who had criticised what he described as the government's misuse of the Constitution. Federal ministers hit back, accusing the JUI-F chief of overlooking his own role in forming and toppling governments. Read: Fazl calls for new Charter of Democracy "There will be no encroachments of any kind, and there will be zero tolerance for this," Chaudhry said, adding that the campaign had been running for more than a year and a half. He added that notices had gone out in "every other street" of Islamabad. "Whoever committed any illegal encroachment received one," he said. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary has vowed to continue anti-encroachment drive in the federal capital without discrimination#RadioPakistan #news https://t.co/wQ0drc91pi pic.twitter.com/stZIE9vWFR — Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) October 31, 2026 Chaudhry noted that a notice was issued "in routine" to Amanullah. It was, the minister said, a "completely simple notice" pasted on the house, giving 15 days to remove a four-by-four security cabin. Chaudhry described the cabin as a "cage-like structure" in which a guard sits in summer and winter, outside a house large enough to park some 10 cars worth millions. The minister said that for the guard inside, "there can be no shaded or any better place," calling this a "human matter" but also an illegal one. The same applied to the generator, he said, adding that the house was no one-or-two-marla plot but stood in one of the capital's large upscale areas where neighbours had received and complied with similar notices. "But because Maulana is living here," he said, the thought seemed to be that the same illegal construction would be protected, the minister said, calling it "highly inappropriate." Chaudhry also asked why permission was not taken for the constructions on the property, which he said run to thousands of square feet, and said no notice was issued for anything that was built lawfully. "I have a simple question: Is the keeping of your cabin on the green area, the green belt, or what has been left out for your house legal? Is that lawful?" he asked. He further questioned whether it was legal to keep a large generator in people's path or on government land. "If it is legal in others' houses, then your house too would be legal," he said. He also rejected the suggestion that oppression was being done to Fazl, saying action had been taken against everyone in Islamabad, rich or poor, powerful or not. "Action was taken against all," he said. "No, oppression is not being done; there are many such things you yourself are doing that is illegal. Neither do you have justification for it, nor can you answer for it," the minister said. Read More: Fazl draws ire over K-P governor's rule remarks Chaudhry said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had demolished a police station standing on government land and partly on a green belt "with his own hands" a day earlier. He said the FC, which had occupied a park for several decades, was also made to clear out, uprooting their offices, and a park was built in its place. Some five-star hotels and other major buildings, he said, also lost walls that stood outside their boundaries. "So this operation will continue," he said, whether the house belonged to "some Amanullah" or was home to "some very big leader or very powerful people." "This will absolutely continue," he said. The minister also cited operations carried out in the federal capital in this regard, saying that property was vacated behind the Prime Minister's House while illegal petrol pumps, marriage halls and other structures were removed along the Expressway. In Sector E-11, allottees were given possession and allotment letters but could not get their plots back from illegal occupants, Chaudhry said. An operation two months ago removed the encroachments and returned the plots, he added. "In fact, a second generation has come along," he said, describing how one generation had waited for the plots it had been allotted. The drive, Chaudhry said, was being carried out "without regard to whether anyone is very influential." In the capital's "posh sectors," he said, "this campaign has been running for several months." Chaudhry added that security guard cabins, generators and illegal constructions of diplomats, bureaucrats and businessmen were removed from green areas and fines were imposed. "The proof of this you will find in the posh sectors of Islamabad, in every other street," he said. Further, Chaudhry called on Fazl to answer the questions he had asked, arguing that in Peshawar, where houses of the poor or illegal buildings of businessmen on roads, in parks and on government land were being demolished, he claimed Fazl had occupied a road. "Why would we, in the name of religion, continue this illegal occupation?" he asked. He also questioned a building named after Fazl's father, asking whether it was legal to block the path people used to pass by it, and whether it was religious to do so. "In our religion, there is talk of opening paths, not of blocking paths," he said. "If someone is a political leader, there is a great deal of responsibility on him compared to an ordinary man," Chaudhry said, adding, "But if he is both political and a religious leader, then the responsibility on him is very great." The minister termed the JUI-F chief a "renowned man" and asked, "What has this state not given you, what all has it not given?" Further, he referred to the interior minister's earlier remarks and said, "you could not answer his words, could not answer his questions," arguing that Fazl had "made a personal attack on the interior minister." "Personal attacks are made only by those who have no answers to questions, who have no answer to the real matter," he said. Also Read: PTI, TTAP affirm 'full support' for Fazl after govt hammering in Parliament He went on to question if "the providers of religious training have trained their leaders that they will make such vulgar, indecent personal attacks, will say such things for which neither our tradition permits, nor our society permits, and religion certainly does not permit?" He also accused Fazl of trying to make martyrs controversial. "You may mock the martyrdoms and the martyrs, the plots of land they got, occupy them," arguing, "if you occupy their plots, that is fine, but if someone is martyred, then you try to make him controversial." Chaudhry further stated, "From the martyrs to the state, which you call mother-like, which has raised children like you too, who occupy roads, who occupy plots, who, putting the Constitution, law, religion to one side, only for their own political power and in the name of their religion, are using their power to do illegal work." The state, Chaudhry said, "kept giving a lot of leeway," and he asked why, if Fazl could give it nothing else, could not "just vacate the road, just vacate the park, just vacate the green belt, just give up illegal work." The minister concluded by saying, "The questions that I have asked, I hope you will answer those questions, and answer them to the point." He reiterated, "Is keeping a generator on the road, building rooms for security guards on the green belt, legal?"

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