Islamabad, Feb 3 : Islamabad police is the top unauthorised occupiers of government accommodation in Pakistan's capital city, with its employees being in possession of 167 of the 337 government flats known to be illegally occupied.

Retired officials from the Intelligence Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency officials are also included in the list of 377 illegal occupants.

This shows that `police power' is wielded to get what one is apparently not entitled to, not eligible for and not authorised to take hold of.

How can executors of law and order be trusted when they themselves are violating the law? The Dawn asks.

This is the sentiment the Islamabad police have provoked ever since it surfaced that its members were illegally occupying public and private properties.

Earlier, a report had exposed the unauthorised acquisition by the Islamabad police of an unoccupied private house owned by a former bureau chief of Dawn who passed away many years ago, and its conversion into an office for a superintendent of the police.

The police may justify this action under Section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 under which the government can acquire a piece of property anywhere in the country in `public and national interest'.

However, the 1973 Constitution protects citizens' basic rights in this respect by not allowing government acquisition of any piece of land at will, especially when there are legitimate heirs. (ANI)