KOHAT: The administration of the posh Kohat Development Authority (KDA) Township has imposed non-use charges on the owners of about 4,000 plots in the phase-II to force them to construct houses on the sites and control their prices, which have shot up due to the booming real estate business.

The tax would be applicable from January 1, 2021.

Simultaneously, the KDA has launched a plantation drive to sow 5,000 plants in the barren phase-II to have a semblance of vegetation.

Talking to Dawn on Tuesday, assistant housing officer Asim Paracha said the project director was in Karachi for heart treatment, and on his return, the non-user charges would be fixed per year.

Azmat Shah, a property dealer, said the owners preferred to do real estate business because they could not construct houses on such costly plots.

EHTERAM CARDS: The district administration on Tuesday distributed 900 Ehteram cards among people aged 70 and above to provide them discount on travel, haircut and facilitate them in offices.

Deputy commissioner Abdur Rehman and tehsil municipal officer Mohammad Shoeb handed over the cards to the elders of Kamalkhel, Mandikhel and adjoining areas.

Mr Shoeb said the elders having such cards won’t have to stand in queues for withdrawal of pension and getting official work done in offices.

He appealed to the people to respect and give utmost honour to the elderly and weak people.

AFGHANS, LOCALS HELD: During the continuing search and strike operations the police on Tuesday held 30 Afghan refugees and local residents and recovered weapons, ammunition and drugs from them.

The operation was led by DSP headquarters Ijaz Khan Abasai supported by elite and lady force personnel.

The seizure included two Kalashnikovs, two rifles, three pistols, 10 chargers, thousands of cartridges and six kilogrammes of hashish.

Meanwhile, the police arrested two smugglers and recovered four kilogrammes of hashish hidden in the doors of a passenger coach on the Indus Highway on Tuesday.

They were taking the contraband to southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Orakzai district.

Alleged traffickers, Mohammad Janan and Maroof Khan of Orakzai, were moved to the Jarma police station, where a case was registered against them.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2021