PESHAWAR, Jan 19: A Jirga of the Regi Lelma village on Sunday announced to resist the City Development and Municipal Department (CDMD) move to vacate their residences adjacent to the Karkhano market.

The Jirga was convened by the Regi Lelma Welfare Society to take a decision following official notices served by the CDMD on the residents to vacate the lands for the construction of a road leading to the proposed Regi Lelma Township.

MMA leader and MNA Haji Rehmat Khan Khalil and Frontier Assembly member Maulana Amanullah Haqqani also attended the Jirga.

Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Rehmatullah assured the participants of the meeting that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government would not impose any wrong decision on the people. He said no government body had the authority to issue such notifications to the people as the provincial assembly had already banned the acquisition of further land for the township.

“The MMA government will do justice with the people and will take steps for the solution of their problems instead of making them shelterless,” he said. He added that the government would soon release the proposed funds for the projects in the area.

On the occasion, he also demanded of the central government to forthwith release Rs1 billion grant announced by President Gen Pervez Musharraf during a rally in Peshawar for improving the gas supply in the district.

“Peshawar is faced with severe gas shortage and the release of Rs1 billion for the improvement of gas supply scheme will help overcome the shortage,” he said.

Maulana Amanullah Haqqani, member of the Frontier Assembly, said when the CDMD issued notices to the residents of Regi Lelma, he held a meeting with the chief minister and apprised him about the worries of the people. He said the chief minister issued directives to the concerned authorities to withdraw all such notices.

Maulana Rehmatullah warned that if the CDMD did not withdraw the notification he himself would block the road to press the government for their demands.