CHARSADDA: The district administration during an anti-encroachment operation demolished over a dozen illegal structures including a police post and office of Awami National Party here on Thursday.

The authorities also arrested several shopkeepers for resisting the operation in Utmanzai Bazaar.

Officials said that shopkeepers and other people had been issued notices besides informing them through loudspeakers to voluntarily vacate the government property but they were using delaying tactics.

They said that the administration started removal of illegal structures one-and-a-half years ago but the court granted stay to the shopkeepers.

They said that after the stay order was vacated, the district administration on the directives of Deputy Commissioner Saadat Khan launched the operation and vacated about four kanals of government property from the encroachers.

The anti-encroachment operation was led by Additional Deputy Commissioner Saneya Safi.

Heavy machinery was used during the drive.

On this occasion the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Highways Authority deputy director vigilance, Akhunzada Inamulah Khan, and a large number of police personnel were present to assist the district administration.

The shopkeepers said that they suffered huge losses as goods worth millions of rupees were destroyed during the operation.

The personnel of TMA, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Highways Authority and police were present to support the anti-encroachment operation.

More than 12 shopkeepers were arrested when they tried to resist the drive.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2021