Small traders, mostly Afghan nationals, have begun to re-establish an illegal makeshift bazaar near Batathal along Bara Road on the outskirts of Peshawar almost one and a half months after the floodwaters of Bara Khwar washed it away.

The act not only goes against the government’s anti-encroachment policy but also increases the area’s vulnerability to terrorist attacks.

The local residents fear the bazaar’s expansion due to the presence of both Afghan nationals and the people displaced from Fata.

According to shopkeepers, at least 250 makeshift shops were washed away by the flash floods and thus, causing millions of rupees worth of losses to the people.

The calamity victims belong to various suburban parts of Peshawar, Khyber Agency or Afghanistan. Most of them were dislocated as a result of military operation against terrorists in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency.

The bazaar located on both sides of Bypass Road leading from Sarband to Bara via Batathal (Shaikhan) was established around five years ago.

Besides, another bazaar of at least 500 makeshift shops has also emerged near Bara Qadeem checkpoint, where, too, owners are mostly internally displaced persons. Not only have they set up shops but they are paying monthly rent to landowners as well.

For the people of rural areas and displaced families, this bazaar has become a good shopping centre with items available at reasonable prices. It is not only around 12 kilometers from Peshawar cantonment area but also, it is at a walking distance from Khyber Agency making it easily accessible to everyone.

In the bazaar, half of which is an encroachment of the government’s land, there are no security checks.

Hundreds of makeshift shops have been set up at a very small space, where the lanes are so narrow that one can hardly move, and anti-state elements can easily exploit the poor people by placing explosives in the congested market.

Local residents fear the marketplace’s expansion due to the presence of both Afghan nationals and the people displaced from Fata.

The traders have taken risk by setting up shops along Batathal Road over Bara Khwar because flood can anytime wash them. Despite high risk to life, the people are busy putting up kiosks without taking mandatory permission from the district administration and other relevant quarters.

Crying for compensation for losses, they fear if the bazaar is washed away yet again, they will be unable to re-establish it. Some warn such a situation may lead to agitation. And in that case, the political parties are likely to join protesters.

During a visit to the area, the traders told Dawn that they had been trying to get compensation for the losses caused due to last month’s flood but to no avail.

They admitted that setting up of shops on water tributary was dangerous but insisted they had no other option to earn a livelihood for themselves and families. The traders said they expected that the government should compensate them for the losses they had suffered during the recent floods.

“I have suffered heavy financial losses up to Rs0.6 million as flood has washed away my entire scrap godown. Now, I am unable to pay even the monthly rent ,” Awal Khail said adding that whatever he had earned during the last five years were washed away.

Another trader Aurangzeb said his general store was also flooded and that the administration had secured details of the losses from him but compensation had yet to be made.

Arif Hussain, owner of a poultry dealer, said his shop was washed away and he expected the government to support him but that didn’t happen.

Several other people including Qudratullah, Ahmed Khan, Kaleemullah also made similar complaints and demanded that the provincial and federal governments support them.

A local police official also said the people were risking own and others’ life by setting up shops along Bara Khwar but no one was there to stop them.

He said it was the district administration’s duty to take notice of the situation.

Peshawar district deputy commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud told Dawn the people had been warned to stay away from the area to avoid risk but they did not know what problems they could face.

“We have launched a comprehensive campaign against encroachment across Peshawar district to recover the state land and ensure smooth flow of traffic on all roads,” he said.

The DC said the anti-encroachment drive was a part of the provincial government’s plan to restore the past glory of the historical city.

He said teams of officials had been constituted to focus on their assignments so that maximum work could be done within the shortest possible time.

Mr. Mehsud said it was the duty of all citizens to extend cooperation and play due role in restoration of Peshawar’s beauty.

PDMA spokesman Lateefur Rehman said Batathal Bazaar was an encroachment and the administration was bound by the law to remove it.

He said the shopkeepers had claimed compensation but the department refused to pay because it was government’s policy to take action against encroachers.

He said the people of Camp Korona, Budhny (low-lying areas) had also approached for compensation but Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had rejected the demand outright to discourage encroachers.

“It is the duty of the district administration and irrigation department to check encroachment and take action against those violating bylaws,” he said.

However, an irrigation department official said the illegal structures would be removed with the support of district administration and law-enforcement agencies after a survey was done.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016