Eviction drive slows down again as administrative hurdles persist across Lahore’s tehsils.
Residents Raise Alarm Over Daily Nuisance
Despite repeated promises, Lahore’s city district administration has failed to rid urban areas of roaming cattle, leaving neighbourhoods across the provincial capital littered and disrupted. Residents report buffaloes and cows wandering freely through streets, damaging greenbelts and parks, and creating a persistent sanitation problem.
In Johar Town, residents say cattle appear in the locality every morning, grazing and leaving behind heavy waste. “We have complained repeatedly, but no one comes to remove them,” said a resident, adding that locals often clean the streets themselves.
Residents claim that herders from Samsani Village routinely release cattle into residential blocks during the day and retrieve them by afternoon. Complaints to the Allama Iqbal Town administration have reportedly gone unanswered.
LWMC Workers Decline to Remove Animal Waste
Another resident shared that Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) workers refuse to remove cattle waste, saying their responsibility is limited to manual sweeping and regular cleaning, not livestock-related waste.
Past Plans Have Failed to Deliver
The city administration previously planned to shift all cattle to Gawala Colony, but the initiative has repeatedly failed due to ineffective execution. Last year, the government revived the campaign under the Suthra Punjab initiative, launching fresh operations across all 10 tehsils of Lahore.
However, residents say the drive has again lost momentum due to administrative and operational delays.
Neighbourhoods in Model Town Extension report similar experiences. “It feels like we live in a village,” said one resident, after roaming cattle destroyed newly planted saplings. Locals say they have contacted the DC office several times with no action taken.
Increasing Road Accidents Due to Stray Cattle
Stray cattle are now posing traffic hazards. Last week, a herd of around 50 buffaloes crossed Johar Town’s main boulevard, colliding with a motorcyclist who was injured in the incident.
Officials Acknowledge Slow Progress
According to an official source, the Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) directed all assistant commissioners (ACs) to identify state land for shifting cattle. Only a few tehsils have identified locations so far, delaying the relocation process.
Tehsil administrations in Ravi, Shalimar, and Nishtar have carried out partial operations, but long-term solutions remain out of reach.
A spokesperson for the Lahore DC insisted the drive is ongoing and ACs have been tasked with enforcing eviction wherever complaints are received. The DC could not be reached for additional comment.
Chrysanthemum Exhibition 2025 Draws Praise
In a separate event, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Zakat & Ushr, Rashid Iqbal Nasrullah, visited the Chrysanthemum Exhibition 2025 at Jilani Park.
He appreciated the floral displays and commended the PHA administration for their arrangements. Highlighting attractions such as the Selfie Point and the newly designed Snow Corner, he said the event reflects the Punjab government’s commitment to providing international-standard recreational spaces.
He added that under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, efforts are underway to enhance public spaces and improve quality of life through modern, family-friendly initiatives.