Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Sunday said the government will not allow anyone to occupy railway land. “Not even an inch of railway land will be allowed to be encroached upon,” he said while launching a major operation against Encroachments in Rawalpindi Railway Division. The operation is the result of the Minister’s guidance and firm commitment, and the collective efforts of government institutions have made the fight against encroachments effective. The operation, led by Divisional Superintendent Rawalpindi Nooruddin Dawood aimed to recover the valuable railway land. The operation has been supported by Railway Police, Anti-Encroachment staff, and the civil administration, which has significantly contributed to its success. During the operation, illegal wooden structures, which had been present near the Murid Railway Bridge for the last two decades and had transformed from temporary shelters of nomadic people into permanent buildings, were demolished during this operation. Before the operation, approximately 14 kanal of land was illegally occupied, with an estimated worth in millions of rupees. Hanif Abbasi said that this operation is being conducted solely for the rule of law, the improvement of the railway system and the benefit of the public. He also mentioned that this operation would be carried out across the entire country to recover all railway lands and send a strong message against encroachments nationwide. The minister said this initiative of the government will not only protect the railway system but also serve the public interest.