The town administration issued notices to offices of international NGOs located in residential areas to vacate their offices otherwise the locations would be sealed indiscriminately.
PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR: The Town-III municipal administration sealed over 50 illegal commercial outlets operating in residential areas of University Town. The action was taken on Tuesday after directives from the Peshawar High Court, which issued a verdict on a writ petition filed by residents against commercial activities in their areas. However, the nazim said he was being pressurised not to seal certain offices.
A handout stated that a team, headed by Town-III administration chief officer Nasrullah, raided various commercial outlets in residential areas, and sealed over 50 guesthouses, NGO offices, private hostels and beauty salons.
The town administration issued notices to offices of international NGOs located in residential areas to vacate their offices otherwise the locations would be sealed indiscriminately. However, some NGOs approached the provincial government to avoid the sealing of their offices. While talking to The Express Tribune, Town-III nazim Arbab Mohammad Ali said they will only comply with court orders and not anyone else’s, even if it is the provincial government’s.
He said he was facing both political and bureaucratic pressure to not seal some of the commercial offices. He maintained that delay in ending commercial activities in the town led to a contempt of court notice. “We will seal over 120 offices of NGOs, private hostels, educational institutions, guest houses at all costs,” he said. Ali added locals were facing problems such as those of power, gas and water shortages.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2016.
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