LAHORE: The Lahore police have shortlisted 188 `land grabbers` and sought from the district government their detention orders in order to bring about peace to the provincial capital.

`They have become a potential danger to law and order,` the Lahore DIG stated while sharing a list of the `criminals` with the district coordination officer.

The DIG also dispatched with thelist the crime record of the offenders. He said police had already sent 30 grabbers to jails.

They had created a nuisance and unrest in the city, he said adding that despite having a number of FIRs `to their credit`, the criminals were depriving citizens of their valuable properties.

The step was being taken after the criminal cases against the land grabbers brought no relief to the victims.

The crime of land grabbing had assumed alarming proportions since the real estate business touched its peak, particularly in the surroundings of Lahore where a number of housing societies were being developed, a senior police officer told Dawn.

In addition, he said, the same business also flourished in poshlocalities including Johar Town, Defence Road, Township, Green Town, Defence, Iqbal Town, Thokar Niaz Beg, Raiwind Road, etc.

He said the data collected by the Lahore police about the notorious land grabbers showed that the Cantonment division was at the top of the list.

The Cantt division is housing 83 land grabbers followed by City division (36), Model Town division (24) and Saddar division (20).

`And Green Town is highly notorious for the crime from where a number of land grabbers had been arrested but they got bails and again started doing the illegal practice,` he said.

Of them Mansha alias Bumb, Zulfiqar Ali, Shafi Joya and Rafiq Numberdar were arrested, thelocalities including Johar Town, Defence Road, Township, Green Town, Defence, Iqbal Town, Thokar Niaz Beg, Raiwind Road, etc.

He said the data collected by the Lahore police about the notorious land grabbers showed that the Cantonment division was at the top of the list.

The Cantt division is housing 83 land grabbers followed by City division (36), Model Town division (24) and Saddar division (20).

`And Green Town is highly notorious for the crime from where a number of land grabbers had been arrested but they got bails and again started doing the illegal practice,` he said.

Of them Mansha alias Bumb, Zulfiqar Ali, Shafi Joya and Rafiq Numberdar were arrested, thepolice official said.

Police got their detention orders from the city district government and sent them to jails.

Talking about Saddar division, he said many land grabbers had connections with the PML-N parliamentarians.

He said many of them were so influential that the victims didn`t lodge cases against them.

Litigation had also increased manifold as the `criminals` used to prepare forged documents to bring the actual landlord to the table for negotiations.

According to the list, he said, 18 land grabbers belonged to Iqbal Town division and seven to the Civil Lines division, the lowest number compared to other areas.