PESHAWAR: The Peshawar district administration on Friday arrested the Town-III chief building inspector and recommended suspension of two other officials for failing to prevent encroachments on the irrigation department land.

The detained official was identified as Ihsan.

The arrest of the Town-III official was ordered by Peshawar division commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud.

Later, Mr Mehsud chaired a meeting to discuss the issue of encroachments on the irrigation department’s property in Achini Khawar area, according to a statement. Earlier on Thursday, the district administration had arrested 15 persons on charges of grabbing irrigation department land in the area.

The meeting also recommended to the provincial government to suspend executive engineer of irrigation department and tehsil municipal officer Town-III for showing negligence in discharge of their official duties.

It also recommended registration of FIRs against the chief building inspector and the building inspector of Town-III over negligence.

Meanwhile, on the commissioner’s directives, the authorities pulled down illegally-constructed structures, retrieving 60 kanals of government land from encroachers.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2022