PESHAWAR: The administration razed more than 450 shops, markets and illegal structures built on the government land along Ring Road here as a major operation against encroachments continued in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The drive began last week and is under way against illegal constructions on Ring Road and adjoining areas in the provincial capital,” said Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir in a statement.

He said that effective actions had been taken for the recovery of government land and clearing of public thoroughfares from encroachments.

During this grand operation, which began from Garhi Qamardin on the outskirts of provincial capital, government land was retrieved in Jamil Chowk, Pir Zakori Flyover, Pushtakhara Chowk and other areas along Ring Road.

Major operation against encroachments continues in several districts

Officials of Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and other relevant departments were participating in the joint operation while heavy machinery was being used to demolish illegal structures and encroachments, the statement read.

The primary objective of the operation was to recover government land from illegal occupations, widen roads and public thoroughfares, eliminate obstacles to traffic flow and provide better commuting facilities to citizens, it said.

The deputy commissioner directed relevant authorities to continue operations without interruption and take effective measures to prevent re-encroachment on recovered government land.

In Charsadda, operation against encroachments was under way in the city, Sherpao and Tangi areas where several structures were demolished amid strong resentment among traders, who alleged that they were deprived of their livelihood without prior notice.

The administration, however, announced that the operation against encroachments and illegal occupation of government land would continue without discrimination.

The affected traders said that they were already struggling to sustain their businesses amid rising inflation and increasing financial pressures. They argued that the demolition of their shops aggravated their difficulties.

“Inflation has already made it extremely difficult for us to run our businesses. Now we have been deprived of our livelihoods,” they said, demanding of authorities to take their grievances into account while taking anti-encroachment measures.

They called for adherence to legal procedures and urged the administration to hear them before taking action that could severely affect their businesses.

The building of a bank branch was also sealed in Tangi during the anti-encroachments drive. The district administration maintained that the campaign would continue across the district and no individual or group would be given preferential treatment.

In Dera Ismail Khan, the district administration continued operation against encroachments, reclaiming one kanal and five marlas of government land and clearing eight kanals and 10 marlas along Chashma Road.

Officials said that the administration reclaimed one kanal and five marlas of government land situated opposite to Kotli Imam Hussain. The property, which included the former AES building, has an estimated market value of around Rs57.5 million. The building on the reclaimed land was sealed.

In a separate operation near CRBC Chowk on Chashma Road, officials removed encroachments established on both sides of the road. A total of eight kanals and 10 marlas of land was reclaimed, with an estimated market value of Rs357 million.

The district administration said that protection of government land, removal of illegal occupations, restoration of public thoroughfares and improvement of traffic flow were among its priorities. It said that action would continue without discrimination and urged citizens and traders to comply with the law and cooperate with the administration.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2026