Pakistan Railways has intensified its operation to recover land from alleged encroachers along Ratta Railway Godown Road in Rawalpindi, but the demolition of residential properties has triggered a legal dispute over the alleged violation of a court injunction.

The railway administration launched the operation with heavy machinery on October 29, 2026, maintaining that the action followed the expiry of a court-issued stay order concerning the land.

Rawalpindi Divisional Superintendent of Railways Nooruddin Dawar said the operation was conducted against occupants of railway property after the relevant injunction had ended. He maintained that further operations would continue to recover railway-owned land from encroachers. However, a resident, Khalid Mehmood, has filed a contempt of court petition alleging that railway officials demolished residential houses despite an existing judicial injunction. According to the petition, the operation caused extensive damage to residential properties and resulted in the destruction of valuable household belongings. Mehmood also alleged that women and children were injured during the operation and required medical treatment.The petitioner claims that the disputed property is ancestral land belonging to his family and that litigation concerning its ownership is already pending before a civil court.

He maintains that his father transferred the property to him in 1976 and that a registered deed supporting his ownership claim has been submitted to the court.

The dispute reportedly concerns approximately 12 kanals and eight marlas of land near Rawalpindi Railway Station. Pakistan Railways asserts that the property belongs to the department, while Mehmood disputes that claim and maintains that the demolition operation interfered with his legal rights. Additional District and Sessions Judge Chaudhry Qasim Javed has issued contempt notices to four railway officers and the station house officers of Railway and Ratta police stations. The court has directed the respondents to submit their replies on November 5, 2026. In his petition, Mehmood has sought contempt proceedings against the officials concerned and compensation for the losses allegedly suffered during the demolition.

The central legal issue is whether an enforceable injunction remained in effect when the railway administration carried out the operation. Railway officials maintain that the relevant stay order had expired before the demolition, while the petitioner argues that judicial protection was still in force. The issuance of contempt notices does not establish that the officials violated a court order. The allegations remain subject to judicial examination and responses from the concerned parties.The dispute also raises separate questions concerning ownership of the land and the legal basis for the recovery operation. No final judicial determination on the competing ownership claims or the alleged violation of the injunction has been reported.The matter remains before the courts, with the next hearing scheduled for November 5.

Rawalpindi : ReNews Pakistan

Reconstruction and rehabilitation work on nine key roads in Rawalpindi is slated to resume by the end of October, following the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation’s (RMC) successful arrangement of approximately Rs1.6 billion for the Punjab Communication and Works Department. This funding secures the previously deferred projects, which were initially postponed due to a shortage of funds.

The RMC’s allocation marks a significant shift from September, when several of these projects, including those on Rawal Road, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed Road, Bokra Road, and routes serving Satellite Town and Commercial Market, were reported to be delayed until December 2027.

The nine roads included in the new rehabilitation program are Khayaban-e-Sir Syed Road (estimated cost Rs213.466 million), Bokra Road (Rs226.454 million), Fifth Road (Rs138.525 million), Rawal Road from Ali Nawaz Chowk to Murree Road (Rs241.894 million), Chandni Chowk to Commercial Market Road (Rs115.718 million), Railway Workshop Road (Rs247.871 million), China Market to Gordon College Road (Rs138.318 million), Satellite Town Fourth-B Road (Rs141.007 million), and Band Khana Road (Rs214.417 million). The sum of these individual road-wise estimates is approximately Rs1.678 billion, closely aligning with the Rs1.6 billion provided by the RMC.

Rawalpindi | ReNews Pakistan 

The opening of the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) has been rescheduled to the first half of November, with officials citing the ongoing completion of toll systems and electronic collection facilities as the reason for the delay. The main 38.3-kilometer carriageway between Baanth and Thalian is complete, as are fencing and horticulture work along the corridor. The project had previously missed its August 14 opening target.

According to reports from October 20, the primary remaining tasks involve the installation of toll booths at Baanth and Thalian, along with the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) facilities. Deputy Project Director Ashfaq Sulheri indicated that these systems would require approximately two more weeks to become operational. The government’s target for opening the road remains within the first or second week of November.

While the main road surface is ready, a completed carriageway cannot be fully opened for general traffic without functional entry, exit, and toll arrangements. The Thalian interchange is being developed as a separate, larger project and is expected to commence its remaining works after the main Ring Road opens. Motorists will need to adhere to the access arrangements officially notified by the authority during the initial days of operation, rather than relying on maps of a fully finished interchange.