KOHAT, March 25: The anti-encroachment campaign announced by the tehsil municipal administration in the city last month could not be started as yet due traders’ resistance.

The business community has been opposing and blocking the drive by starting a protest campaign against the local administration and displayed banners and placards in bazaars to express their resentment over the move.

The associations of various bazaars were asked by the TMA for help against encroachers so as to clear the roads for free pedestrian movement and keeping the main bazaar clean by opening the choked sewer lines regularly.

The traders initially set a condition for the administration to first remove the handcarts from bazaars, mainly from the Jail and Government High School No 2 roads.

However, the TMA didn’t agree to the idea and pressed for removing all the encroachments in a single action. Ultimately, due to traders’ resistance the anti-encroachment campaign aimed at clearing the city bazaars hit snags.

Originally, the anti-encroachment plan was discussed and approved during a meeting chaired by the Kohat division commissioner, who ordered strict and swift action against encroachers.

He also sought a report about the campaign’s progress within a week.

Police later gave encroachers a fortnight to remove their stalls and stuff but the situation remained unchanged.

The district administration later began imposing heavy fine on encroachers but had to stop doing so as bazaar associations threatened to give a call for strike. The administration has been struggling to free the city from encroachments due to political intervention.

The newly-appointed DIG, Imtiaz Shah, called a meeting of traders at his office the other day and assured them of his help and cooperation for doing business.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Kohat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and leaders of bazaar unions.

The DIG said that the administration was aware of traders’ problems, including insecurity, and would try to resolve them by all means.

People, especially pedestrians and motorists, have demanded early removal of encroachments from along the city roads and in bazaars.

However, the residents say that the administration has again bowed down to the pressure of businessmen on the issue of removing encroachments, which has become a permanent nuisance for shoppers.