Illegal housing societies crop up in Charsadda

PHC orders strict action against those involved in illegal housing schemes

PESHAWAR:

A two-member bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday ordered strict action against those involved in sale and purchase of plots and transfer of property ownership in the illegal housing schemes in Charsadda district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The bench comprising Chief Justice PHC Roohul Amin and Justice Abdul Shakur heard the petition in which the petitioner Asif Ali Advocate has taken the stance that housing societies were being established on agriculture land in the district which was ruining the precious little agricultural land. This, he went on to argue, was a clear-cut violation of rules and regulations of the revenue department.

“No agricultural land could be used for any other purpose including commercial and residential purposes but despite the ban, there has been a mushrooming growth of housing societies,” he stated in the petition, adding the court had directed the district administration to curb such practices and take action against the violators but still such societies are underway unabated.

The court was informed that only one housing scheme fulfilled the local government’s Private Housing Act 2020 and all other small and large schemes were illegal and being established on agricultural land.

The court directed the district government as well as police to take strict action against those involved in sale and purchase of plots in these schemes.

The district police officer (DPO) and district administration were ordered to submit a detailed report in this regard before the court on December 20.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2022.