KOHAT: The tehsil administrations of Kohat and Lachi on Friday carried out operations against encroachments and razed illegal structures, including markets, shops and official residences and reclaimed 810 kanals.

According to a handout, the operations were supervised by assistant commissioner, Kohat, Gul Bano, additional assistant commissioners Abbas Afridi and Samiullah and officials of the revenue department.

The operations were carried out in Merozai camp, Garhi Mawaz Khan and Behramabad and illegal hotels and houses were also demolished. In the first phase, over 800 kanals of land was cleared and the land grabbers were warned not to reconstruct illegal buildings again.

Mr Samiullah said that they had cleared the 20 feet land occupied by Afghan refugees near Jarma bridge on Bannu Road where shops and houses had been constructed.

Meanwhile, all kiosks and cabins from Jinnah Plaza up to Junglekhel Gate in Kohat city and the Lachi tehsil bazaar were razed by widening the road and uncovering the main drains.

The people of Lachi bazaar lauded the action which widened the bazaar road for pedestrians and motorists. Residents have also demanded early operation in Kohat where the shopkeepers had turned the main bazaar into a narrow street by extending their shops.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2018