MANSEHRA: Chief Minister’s Special Assistant on Tourism Adeel Iqbal on Friday said that strict action would be taken against Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) officials for failing to comply with the Peshawar High Court’s directives to now allow constructions along the Kaghan River, which have plagued the natural beauty of Kaghan Valley.

“I am here on the directives of the chief minister to personally assess the violations of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa River Protection Act, 2014, and constructions in the valley in violation of building rules despite the clear orders of the high court,” he said while speaking at an open forum held in Naran, the commercial hub of Kaghan Valley.

Members of the business community, led by Seth Matiullah, as well as representatives of the local community, attended the forum. The participants expressed concern over unregulated construction harming tourism in the valley.

“The KDA officials who approved illegal constructions would be taken to justice within the next two to three weeks,” Mr Iqbal said.

The CM aide said the court’s orders were binding on all government departments and must be implemented in letter and spirit.

“Illegal constructions on the riverbanks and in protected areas, including national parks in Naran, and deforestation have damaged the natural beauty and ecological character of Kaghan Valley,” he said.

Mr Iqbal warned that KDA officials and individuals who had defied government directives by allowing the construction of commercial and other buildings despite the ban would be proceeded against under the law, and such buildings would be razed.

He said he had directed the KDA director general to comply with the court orders, preserve the valley’s natural environment and ensure that no construction was allowed in areas prohibited by the government and the Peshawar High Court.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2026