PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi said here on Thursday that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would become the first province in the country to make the rights of street vendors a permanent and enforceable part of legal framework through KP Ehsaas Rehribaan (Street Vendors) Livelihood Protection Bill, 2025.

He said that it would be a historic legislation on street economy and a major step towards formalising and protecting the livelihoods of thousands of street vendors, according to a statement.

The chief minister said that the bill would be presented to cabinet for approval. After the cabinet’s approval, the bill would be tabled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to become a law. More than 140,000 street vendors across the province will be incorporated into a formal system of state protection under the new law.

Mr Afridi said that no official, authority or private individual would be permitted to unlawfully seize vending spaces, displace vendors or exert pressure on their livelihoods.

CM says proposed law will soon be presented to cabinet for approval

The street economy is currently estimated at more than Rs380 billion. The proposed legislation will address longstanding issues faced by street vendors, including harassment, bribery, extortion and sudden removal from vending locations.

Under the bill, acts of intimidation, coercion, rent seeking or illegal payments demanded from vendors, whether by government officials, police personnel, or private individuals, would be treated as serious criminal offenses.

The chief minister said that one of the core features of the legislation was its emphasis on due process, ensuring that no anti-encroachment action of any kind would be permissible against registered vendors without prior notice, evidence-based justification and adherence to legal procedure.

He said that in addition to legal safeguards, the bill extended access to microfinance, credit, insurance and emergency support. He added that such measures would enable street vendors, many of whom operated on narrow margins and lacked financial security, to become part of formal economic system.

Mr Afridi stated that integrating street vendors into social protection and financial inclusion mechanisms was essential for both economic stability and poverty alleviation.

He said that it was the responsibility of government to ensure equitable protection for all citizens, particularly those whose livelihoods depended on daily income.

Under the bill, street vending certificate will serve as a form of legal guarantee, protecting daily earnings of vendors and ensuring that they are no longer subject to arbitrary actions or exploitation.

The chief minister said that inclusion of vendor representation in all decisions of tehsil vending committees was another key feature of the proposed law. He added that the committees would oversee vending zones, regulate registration and handle dispute resolution.

By ensuring vendor representation, the provincial government wanted to make policymaking more inclusive and eliminate discretionary or unilateral decision making in matters concerning public spaces and livelihoods, he said.

The chief minister said that street vendors represented one of the most hard working and significant segments of urban life, contributing to local commerce, food security and accessibility of low cost services.

“Their work, dignity and contribution deserve formal recognition and respect. The bill reflects provincial government’s commitment to restoring the pride, self-worth and economic security of street vendors, who have long operated under precarious conditions,” he said.

The chief minister said that the objective of the legislation was beyond securing immediate incomes as it was also aimed at connecting street vendors with broader economic opportunities, encouraging them to become empowered, responsible and legally protected participants in provincial economy.

He said that government viewed the legislation as an important milestone for working class and believed that it would lay the foundation for a more organised, stable and modern street economy across the province.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2025