KOHAT, Sept 19: The tehsil municipal administration’s repeated campaigns against encroachments in Kohat city over a period of time have failed to deliver the goods.

Of late, TMA gave a one week time to shopkeepers to either remove encroachments from the main bazaar or face action.

The deadline was later extended for a fortnight, but to no avail.

Tajir Action Committee president Haji Abid said the administration should first remove hundreds of pushcarts from in front of the Government High School No 2 and vegetable market before talking about clearing encroachments from the bazaar.

He said a politically and administratively well-connected man provided protection to pushcart owners on payment of Rs50 each.

Another leader of business community, Haji Israr Shinwari, said each shop owner in the bazaar had rented the portion in front of his outlet to Afghan refugees.

“Each fruit seller gives Rs500 daily to shopkeepers, while other vendors pay between Rs200 and Rs300 daily. The administration doesn’t act against them all for being heavily bribed,” he said.

He suggested that the administration provide pushcart owners and vendors with alternative places to do business.

Many pushcart owners agreed to go away if they are provided with cabins.

Officials said if Afghan refugees were restricted to their camps, more than 80 per cent pushcarts and other encroachments would disappear automatically.

Encroachments have led to the flooding of sewers and thus, filling the main bazaar and adjoining residential areas with stinking water and sewage.

When contacted, Mohammad Shoaib, a relevant official of tehsil municipal administration, said the deputy inspector general of police had promised to provide the administration with policemen for anti-encroachment drive and register cases against shop owners.

He said heavy fine would force shop owners into removing encroachments on their own.

“There will be no clemency for anyone, this time,” he said.

He said leaders of shopkeepers and some elected representatives meddle in TMA affairs, especially anti-encroachment operations.

“It’s a gigantic task but we’re determined to do it at all costs,” he said.