MARDAN: Mayor Himayatullah Mayar has reported violations of rules and regulations by certain housing societies and commercial plazas in Mardan to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
In a letter addressed to the director of the ACE on Monday, the mayor highlighted the pressing issue in Mardan city.He said that several owners of plazas and commercial buildings had converted designated parking spaces into commercial shops, which not only contravened traffic regulations but also disregarded the principles of public space usage.
Furthermore, the owners profited significantly from such actions, raising concerns about potential corruption and misuse of public areas.The mayor highlighted the importance of parking spaces for maintaining smooth traffic flow and serving the general public. He also pointed out the growing problem of illegal housing societies in Mardan, many of which lacked the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) from local authorities.
Additionally, the housing societies often manipulated property transfers without proper documentation, leading to tax evasion and financial losses for the government.The accurate recording of revenue and the collection of property taxes are crucial for the government’s financial stability and the provision of public services. However, local authorities and the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) in Mardan have failed to regularise the housing societies in accordance with approved maps and policies.
The mayor expressed concern that the situation might lead to conflicts between property owners and local authorities, eroding public trust in local institutions. Therefore, he requested immediate action against the violators to address the issues related to the conversion of parking spaces into shops or other commercial purposes.
He also forwarded a copy of the letter to the chief secretary, secretary finance, secretary local government and rural development (LGE and RDD), and the commissioner Mardan division.