PESHAWAR, May 3: The Cantonment Board of Peshawar (CBP) has placed a ban on commercial activities other than residential purposes in the Defence Colony, a posh locality of the cantonment.

The CBP has served notices on different government  offices, education institutions, clinics, NGOs and UN offices to vacate residential plots immediately, officials said her on Saturday.

An official of the CBP told Dawn that notices had been served on owners, who rented out their bungalows for commercial purposes, to ask their occupants to vacate premises within 30 days.

If the owners did not follow the notice the CBP would take action, he said.

Officials said under the law, owners could not lease out or rent out their property (residences) for commercial activities in residential part of the provincial capital.

The board staff has started a drive in Defence Colony and  started removing billboards and signboards  of  the NGOs, government offices and private companies.

The authorities have also banned car parking on colony streets and roads.

The Defence Colony houses protocol office of ministry of foreign affairs, the Unicef, IUCN, Afghan Trade Commissioner and NGOs.