Chief Minister KP’s advisor for Tourism, Archeology, and Culture, Zafar Mehmood, has announced that legal action will be taken against officials of civic departments who have approved illegal buildings.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with heads of civic agencies, Mehmood stated that the caretaker government has directed these agencies to launch anti-encroachment drives in their respective tehsils and districts.
Mehmood alleged that in the past, tehsil municipal administrations, National Highway Authority (NHA), and Communication and Works Department had issued non-objection certificates to builders under political pressure.
He further added that the builders and landowners encroached upon the main arteries, including the Karakoram Highway, by taking advantage of political influences. However, the government has decided to launch anti-encroachment drives to clear the right-of-way and demolish such structures.
According to Mehmood, an anti-encroachment operation has also been planned in Mansehra, which will shortly be initiated.
The NHA, Communication and Works Department, and TMA of Mansehra and Baffa-Pakhal will hold a meeting to finalize the schedule for the operation. Mehmood revealed that notices had already been served on the owners of encroached buildings by the NHA.
He concluded by stating that the caretaker government is working sincerely to address all such issues that were ignored by the successive governments in the province.
