PESHAWAR: The residents of University Town have expressed their concerns over non-implementation of court’s order to stop commercial activities in residential localities.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, Town Residents Society president Yousuf Ghaffar and general secretary Ayesha Bano asked the provincial government to immediately stop commercial activities in University Town as directed by Peshawar High Court in its decision in April, 2015.

They said that government was using delaying tactics to stop commercial activities in the residential locality despite order of high court. It was violation of the court’s order, they added.

They said that commercial activities badly affected normal life of the residents of the area where movement of women was almost impossible. They said that women in the area were forced to remain indoors round the clock. They said that some NGOs and consulates had occupied major portions of the roads, making life of the inhabitants miserable.

The residents of University Town said that they held several protests against authorities for not complying with the court’s orders. They said that commercial activities were stopped through court’s order in several areas including Hayatabad, Shami Road and Defence Officer Colony but provincial government was reluctant to implement the same in University Town. They said that it was a matter of concern for them.

Flanked by other office-bearers of the society including Advocate Majeed Khan, Rahim Khan and others, Mr Ghaffar expressed concerns over holding protest demonstrations by some owners of private schools against the court’s order. Using schoolchildren as a shield was a crime, he added.

Mr Ghaffar said that the security of students was put on risk by the owners of private schools without considering true spirit of education. He said that even after the issuance of court’s orders in April 2015, scores of new commercial entities were set up in University Town. “It means that provincial government is not serious in implementing the court’s orders,” he added.

Mr Ghaffar said that residents of University Town would continue to hold peaceful protests and press conferences to raise their voice for their due rights. He said that they had full confidence in the court for getting justice. He said that a contempt of court case was already in process in that regard.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2016