Official sources said that the government had initially planned to kick-start the campaign on Sept 1, but postponed it for a week following a meeting between NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain and representatives of the affected house and shop owners.
The governor, on the request of the representatives of the affected shopkeepers and house owners, had extended the deadline with a firm warning that the drive would start immediately after the expiry of the deadline.
The governor had assured the shopkeepers and houseowners that the drive was not meant to harass the people rather it was aimed at razing illegal structures and buildings in the area in order to widen the roads to ease traffic congestion and to streamline the traffic flow on the city roads.
The owners of more than 4,000 shops and houses have been asked to push back their illegal structures/buildings by four feet and demolish them themselves otherwise the authorities would use bulldozers which may cause further losses.
However, the shopkeepers/ house owners argue that they have been paying thousands of rupees annually to the Cantonment Board for the area they have encroached upon as temporary ground rent (TGR) for years. But the government’s stand is that according to Cantonment Board rules, the TGR agreement can be terminated on a 24-hour notice.
Talking to Dawn, a government official brushed aside the impression that three mosques in the area were also being demolished, saying some miscreants were trying to make it a religious issue for their vested interests.
Some shopkeepers in the main Saddar road have demolished their illegally-built structures. However, a majority of the shopkeepers has refused to cooperate with the government.
According to the plan, shops at Jinnah Street, Shafi Market, Liaqat Bazaar and the main Saddar Road have to be trimmed by four feet each.
The official also said that the plans were also afoot to start a similar drive at the Sunehri Masjid Road, Khyber Bazaar and Shoba Bazaar to provide the much-needed space to the passers-by and motorists and to free the government property from illegal occupants.
Likewise, he said, the houses in Defence Colony and Shami Road being used for commercial purpose, would also face demolition soon.