PESHAWAR, April 13: The authorities of Pakistan Academy for Rural Development (PARD) are at loggerheads with the Town-III administration over construction of over three dozen shops by the latter outside the front boundary wall of the academy.

“With the construction of shops outside the sprawling training institution the historic significance and sanctity of over five-decade old academy will be diminished,” PARD director general Niamatullah Abid told Dawn. He said that the importance of the academy could be judged from the fact that civil servants of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and those coming from Balochistan and Sindh provinces were regularly imparted different trainings there.

Another PARD official claimed that the Town-III administration had unlawfully started construction of shops two days ago over a strip of land adjacent to the boundary wall of the academy, which was established in 1957 over 50 acres. He said that the land in question was fit for developing a green belt, which would also enhance the beauty of the institution.

“We had erected barbed wire around this piece of land, but a few years ago one of our high officials ordered its removal to ensure smooth movement of pedestrians on the adjacent footpath,” the official said.

Mr Abid said that according to the revenue record and map of the PARD, the property of the academy stretched up to footpath of the road and the Town-III administration had no right over this small strip of land between the boundary wall and footpath.

“The construction of shops would also jeopardise security of the academy,” the DG said, adding that two other prestigious institutions, including Pakistan Provincial Services Academy and National Institute of Management, were also established inside the PARD.

He said that the construction of shops would cause traffic problems in the hitherto peaceful area, as the people visiting these shops would park their vehicles on the narrow road in front of the academy. Besides, the noise of vehicles and people would disturb peace of the academy, which was very necessary for any training institution, Mr Abid said.

He said that guest speakers from other parts of the country had often shown reluctance to visit the academy for delivering lectures due to continued militancy. He added that if the peaceful environment was disturbed with the construction of shops then  there would be no chance of intellectuals visiting the academy. “We will stop the construction of shops at all costs,” the PARD DG said.

Another official of the academy wishing anonymity said that they were contemplating to challenge the construction of shops in the court.

Town-III administrator Noor Daraz Khattak, when contacted, told Dawn that 40 shops would be constructed outside the academy. He said that Senior Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Bashir Ahmed Bilour had approved the construction of the shops. He claimed that the land property belonged to the Town-III.

Asked about traffic problems due to shops on the narrow road, Mr Khattak said: “We are constructing shops to avert traffic problems because the shopkeepers would not allow vehicles to park outside their shops.”