Conflicting claims : Installation of billboards sparks controversy

Advertiser says PDA removed hoardings though he had permission from city district administration.

PESHAWAR: The city district administration’s policy on installing billboards and hoardings on the roads has sparked controversy as Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) has been accused of selecting advertisers on the basis of favouritism.

“PDA has removed billboards [which were put up by my firm] even though I have been granted permission by the city district administration to put them up,” Asal Din Afridi told The Express Tribune.

He added he has been caught between officials of the city district administration and PDA as both of them have divergent views on the matter.

At least 25 billboards of Asal Din were removed on PDA’s directives in various parts of the city, including GT Road, Ring Road and Jamrud Road.

Asal Din, who owns an advertising firm, has been running his business in the city for the last five years.

According to Asal Din, those who possess NoCs in the past do not have them anymore. “Their certificates were cancelled in 2014,” he said. “However, PDA has not removed those hoardings.

Reason for permission

Asal Din installed eight billboards on University Road. However, the hoardings he put up were hidden with banners welcoming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairperson Imran Khan when he was to visit on January 17 for the inauguration of Bab-e-Khyber Bridge.

The city district administration had requested the director general of PDA to allow Asal Din to install billboards on University Road.  A letter was issued from the office of city district nazim Arbab Asim on January 28. A copy of the letter is available with The Express Tribune.

It read, “The applicant [Asal Din] may be allowed [to install] billboards as he is ready to pay all the taxes and fees [levied by the government].”

Asal Din asked why PDA did not remove his billboards just after they were put up if they were illegal.

When asked about the payment of taxes, Asal Din provided evidence of the taxes he paid to the government for putting up billboards.

When contracted, the city district nazim said the letter sent to PDA to not remove the hoardings must have been issued by mistake.

Standing by stance

PDA Building Control Agency Director Najeeb Afridi denied knowledge of any billboard being installed on the city roads sans NoCs.  He added all signboards under the jurisdiction of PDA would be removed and his agency was not subjected to accept any letter or request from the district nazim’s office if it contradicts this policy.

Clearing tarmacs

PDA cancelled NoCs of all the advertisers in the city — banning them from erecting billboards in Jamrud Road, GT Road and Ring Road — after a letter was issued from Shen Ghar, a former contractor of PDA.

A former official of PDA, who now works for another department, told The Express Tribune no advertisers have so far been issued NoCs after 2014 due to a ban imposed by the government. However, he added, a proper policy was being formulated after which billboards would be put up legally.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2016.