PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has initiated action to effectively stop illegal construction activities in order to preserve agricultural land across the province.

So far 65 illegal housing societies have been sealed, six demolished and 235 issued notices whereas FIRs have been lodged against 196 across the province, according to a statement issued here on Saturday.

In this regard, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan chaired a meeting to devise an effective strategy to stop illegal construction activities on agricultural land.

Besides provincial ministers Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Akbar Ayub and Amjad Ali Khan and chief secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, the meeting was also attended by administrative secretaries and other high-ups of the concerned departments.

Move aimed at preserving agricultural land

Briefing the meeting about the steps taken so far to stop illegal construction activities on the agricultural land, it was stated that necessary instructions had been issued to the district administrations and revenue department to impose ban on mutation of land in unapproved/illegal housing societies whereas the concerned departments were instructed not to provide utility connections to such housing societies in the province.

It was stated that for the information of masses the details of all legal and illegal housing societies had been uploaded on the websites of Peshawar Development Authority and concerned tehsil municipal administrations.

It was added that besides other legal actions, the offices of illegal housing societies were also being sealed.

On this occasion, the chief minister directed the authorities concerned to identify the responsible quarters of concerned departments and take action against them for their negligence with regard to the already established illegal housing societies.

The meeting was also briefed about the progress on framing rules to stop construction activities on agricultural land and it was stated that initial draft of rules had been prepared.

It was told that recommendations of the cabinet committee had been incorporated into the draft and the same would be presented in the upcoming meeting of the cabinet for approval.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2021