Dozens held for resisting anti-encroachment drive in Charsadda

CHARSADDA: A number of shopkeepers and traders were arrested for resisting the grand operation launched by the local administration against encroachments and illegally built structures in the district after the court vacated a stay order.

The district administration along with local police, Tehsil Municipal Administration and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority on Thursday jointly launched a grand anti-encroachment to reclaim government land in the district.

Eyewitnesses said that over 40 shops, a police post and a number of other structures constructed illegally were razed with heavy machinery.

Forty shops owners and traders in Utmanzai Bazar on Charsadda-Tangi road had obtained a stay order against the anti-encroachment campaign some two and half years ago.

However, the court vacated the stay order a week ago, which prompted the district administration to send notices to the encroachers to take their belongings.

The shopkeepers and traders did not respond to the notices. The district administration even then made announcements on the loudspeakers before launching the anti-encroachment drive but the traders and shopkeepers turned a deaf ear to the calls.

The anti-encroachment operation was supervised by Additional Deputy Commissioner Sania Safi and Additional Assistant Commissioner Tariq Mahmood.

Over 40 shops and a police post were demolished with heavy machinery during the drive. Over a dozen of shopkeepers and traders were arrested, who put resistance to the operation.