BATTAGRAM: The district administration on Friday launched a large-scale anti-encroachment drive in the main bazaar along the Karakoram Highway (KKH) after completing the demarcation of illegally occupied land.
The administration had earlier conducted a detailed survey and marked permanent and temporary encroachments to ensure transparency and avoid disputes. The operation began at Naraza Morr along the KKH and proceeded through the main bazaar, one of the district’s busiest commercial hubs, which frequently faces traffic gridlocks.
The operation was supervised by Additional Deputy Commissioner Fahad Zia and Assistant Commissioner Headquarters Muhammad Saleem Khan, along with DSP Amjid Khan, revenue officials and staff of the Tehsil Municipal Administration Battagram.
Heavy machinery was used to demolish permanent concrete structures built on state land, while workers used heavy hammers to remove concrete slabs, extended ramps, stairs and other temporary obstructions to clear footpaths and restore the road width.
Local residents and traders said an indiscriminate anti-encroachment drive was long overdue and had been a longstanding public demand. They alleged that influential plaza owners had occupied several feet of government land, causing severe traffic congestion and difficulties for pedestrians, while previous operations had largely targeted small shopkeepers and poor vendors.
When the latest operation was announced, many feared it would follow the same pattern, affecting small traders while sparing politically influential property owners.
However, traders present at the site expressed cautious optimism about the administration’s approach.
Speaking to the media, trader leader Abdul Ghaffar Deshani said the business community was closely monitoring the operation and that, so far, the administration appeared to be acting without discrimination.
Another trade leader, Sami, said traders were waiting to see whether the administration would also clear the old bridge area and remove plaza structures built on the government land extending eight to 14 feet from the designated boundaries. He said the area remained a major traffic bottleneck.
Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Saleem Khan said the administration had completed proper measurements and demarcation before launching the operation.
He said the drive would continue until all encroached state land across the district was retrieved. The operation would be conducted without political or personal favour, and all permanent and temporary encroachments would be removed, he added.
Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2026
