Dhudial: Due to the incompetence, negligence, and lack of interest of the Chakwal district administration and the revenue department, they have completely failed to remove the illegal occupation of the historic pond in the village of Vero, which has led to increasing concerns among the local residents.
According to details, on October 21, 2024, Arshad Mahmood (also known as Ansar Mahmood), Nasir Mahmood, and Ghulam Raza occupied the 100-year-old historic pond “Baba Hayat Wali Ban,” located in the village of Vero on Neela-Chakwal Road, by filling it with soil under the cover of darkness. They later planted a crop of rapeseed (tara mira) on the land. The district administration was officially informed about this situation, but they failed to take action to remove the encroachment.
The Assistant Commissioner of Chakwal directed the revenue department staff to remove the illegal occupation from the pond, which is dedicated to public welfare. However, the revenue department was unable to reclaim the land. After repeated complaints, Raja Aftab Khalid, the Tehsildar of Neela, visited the site on December 18, 2024, to identify the encroachment, but the illegal occupiers created a disturbance, forcing him to leave. Following this, the revenue department chose to remain silent instead of taking further action.
As a result of the revenue department’s inaction, the heirs of Baba Hayat Muhammad Khan, who had dedicated the land for public welfare, filed a petition in the court of the Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue of Chakwal district to remove the illegal occupation. The village elders and other respected members of the community also demanded the restoration of the pond to its original state.
Acting on the petition, the Additional Deputy Commissioner General Revenue issued an order on January 1, 2025, to immediately remove the illegal occupation of Baba Hayat Wali Ban (pond) and submit a report. According to the lawyer handling the case, Safeer Majid Advocate, the conditions outlined in the 1939-40 British-era village regulations – which hold constitutional value for any village – clearly list ‘Baba Hayat Wali Bin’ as a public utility, meaning no individual can claim personal ownership or use it for private purposes.
Despite the court order, the revenue department has failed to remove the illegal occupation, and the encroachers are trying to seek a stay order to delay the implementation of the ruling. The incompetence of the revenue department is evident from their extraordinary delay in enforcing the orders of the Assistant Commissioner and the Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue. They are also using delaying tactics in submitting a response to the Senior Civil Judge, who is hearing the case.
On the other hand, the heirs of Baba Hayat Muhammad Khan have appealed to the judiciary and administration to immediately remove the illegal occupation from their ancestral land, which was dedicated to public welfare. They have proposed the establishment of a modern rescue and health center on the site to benefit the public. They emphasized that there is no emergency hospital available between Neela and Chakwal city after the construction of the motorway, and valuable lives are lost frequently due to accidents.
Removing the illegal occupation from this public welfare site and establishing an emergency rescue and health center can help prevent the loss of precious lives.