KHYBER: A controversy has surfaced over the auction of the newly-constructed shops in Landi Kotal Bazaar with local shopkeepers and traders rejecting the auctionand rent policy devised by the tehsil municipal administration.

Addressing a news conference at the Landi Kotal Press Club here, elected representatives of the tehsil council AbudardaShinwari, Haji Aziz Khan, Gul Zamin, Muhibullah, Azizullah and Rehman Khan said the TMA had completely “bypassed” the tehsil council in formulating the auction and rent policy for the newly-constructed 92 shops in Rangarrh Street of Landi Kotal Bazaar.

They insisted the TMA could onlydetermine the auction policy and set the rent limit when such a policy was duly passed with majority by the tehsil council as per its rules of business and bylaws.

They alleged that the TMA had “fraudulently” devised minutes of a council meeting, which informed higher authorities that the Landi Kotal tehsil council had unanimously passed the auction and rent policy a few weeks ago.

“We reject this TMA stand as no such meeting ever took place nor did we pass any bill regarding the renting out of the newly-constructed shops in Rangarrh Street,” an official said. He added that a local court had already granted a stay order against the auction.

Anjumane TajiranLandi Kotal president Jafar Shinwari told Dawn that the TMA had assured traders that those possessing old shops at the site would be given preferencefor new shops but it broke its promise and unilaterallyannounced the auction plan without taking them into confidence. He said the TMA had fixed a very high price for both pagreeand monthly rent of new shops, which was unaffordable for most traders.

Rejecting allegations of councillors, council chairman Shah Khalid told Dawn that there was no requirement of devising new bylaws for auction and determining the rent of newly-constructed shops as the provincial government had already devised modellaws for the purpose and the local councils were only supposed to implement these model laws.

He said 92 shops were constructed at the Landi Kotal Bazaar’s Rangarrh Street under an umbrella scheme, devised by the provincial government for the entire merged districts for construction of fruit and vegetable markets with itsrevenue to be collected by the TMA.

Mr Khalid said under the rules, a committee was formed under his chairmanship with tehsil municipal officer, TOR, tehsil officer, technical engineer, revenue officer, regulation, finance representatives and three senior members of the elected council were included to get their input on the implementation of model bylaws for rent and auction of the new commercial building.

The chairman said the auction was announced through an advertisement in local newspapers under the rules, while bids were invited for shops afterwards.

When contacted, TMO Abdul Samad denied any violation of rules and said the TMA had yet to announce the auction date and finalise rent.

He added that the TMA had given no assurance to old shopkeepers as the land on which new shops were built was the government’s property and no individual could lay claim to it.

“I’m in contact with my high-ups. We will devise the final policy for shops auction and rent soon and will advertise it in local newspapers for the information of all and sundry,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2023