PESHAWAR: The district administration on Wednesday demolished several buildings, shops and houses during an anti-encroachment drive at Faqir Kallay on the Chagharmati Road here.

On the directives of Deputy Commissioner, Peshawar, Islam Zeb, additional deputy commissioner Shahid Ali Khan along with the officials of the communications and works department and TMA Town-II carried out the anti-encroachment operation, using heavy machinery to raze the structures.

During the operation, more than 40 illegally-built shops, houses and markets were demolished. Before launching the operation, the people had been issued notices to voluntarily remove the encroachments, but they did not pay heed, prompting the administration to launch the drive. Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner has directed all additional assistant commissioners to identify the encroachments in their respective areas to demolish them.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2018