PESHAWAR: As part of crackdown on encroachments in Peshawar, the district administration on Thursday removed sandbags from outside the Gulbahar police station and thus, reopening the adjacent service road.

The sandbags were placed outside the building in 2009 for security reasons, a move, which caused the blockade of the adjacent service road as well as traffic congestion on the nearby GT Road.

Peshawar deputy commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud told Dawn that removal of sandbags outside the police station showed the government’s resolve to free the district from encroachments.

“It gives out a clear message to all encroachers that action will be taken against all of them to retrieve the state land at all costs,” he said.

Mehsud said several plazas had been pulled down, while roads were cleared of encroachments in different parts of the city.

He said the administration had so far recovered Rs2.5 billion state property and that the anti-encroachment campaign would continue.

“We have planned to remove more encroachments and no pressure will be accepted in this regard,” he said.

LADIES CLUB: The district administration Peshawar on Thursday secured back the charge of the ladies club, which was given on lease for a private restaurant during the last provincial government.

A relevant official said the portion leased out to Devan Khas had again been made part of Ladies Club in the University Town area of Peshawar.

He said the charge was handed over to the district administration by NAB director Saleem Ahmad and deputy director Yasir Malik.

The official said Devan Khas was sealed by NAB in line with the directions of the Peshawar High Court when local residents filed a petition with it.

He said the charge was given to deputy commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud during a special ceremony where Peshawar Municipal Corporation administrator Zafar Ali Shah, assistant commissioner Osama Warraich and chief officer Saleem Khan were also present.

The restaurant’s administration had already expressed willingness to hand over Devan Khas to NAB and compensated losses caused to the provincial exchequer due to the unlawful interference in the Ladies Club affairs.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2015

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