Peshawar Division

Peshawar: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has intensified its property tax recovery campaign in Peshawar, launching enforcement operations against major defaulters while also holding consultations with industrial stakeholders to address taxation related concerns.
According to official details, targeted recovery actions were carried out against prominent property tax defaulters under the supervision of Excise and Taxation Officer ETO VI Peshawar Aijaz Anwar. During the operation, several units that had failed to clear outstanding dues were sealed, while final notices were issued to banks and other major defaulters for the recovery of pending property taxes.
Officials said the department had already issued repeated notices to defaulters before taking enforcement action. They added that sealing operations were carried out only against units that continued to ignore legal requirements and failed to deposit their dues within the prescribed time.
In a separate operation, another team led by ETO II Peshawar Tauseef Khan, along with Assistant Excise and Taxation Officers Nasir Mehmood Khan and Zar Ali Khan, also conducted recovery actions in different areas. Several non compliant units were sealed during the campaign after they failed to respond to repeated tax recovery notices.
The Excise Department urged property owners and business operators to ensure timely payment of property taxes in order to avoid legal action, sealing of premises and operational disruption. Officials said the recovery drive would continue against defaulters in accordance with the law.
Alongside the enforcement campaign, the department also engaged with the industrial community to resolve taxation issues through consultation. A meeting was held under the supervision of ETO III Peshawar Zahid Iqbal Khan with representatives of industrial associations, including President Ayub Zakori and Senior Vice President Haris Mufti.
During the meeting, industrial representatives raised different concerns related to tax matters and legal formalities. Officials said around 15 cases were resolved on the spot, a step that was welcomed by the participants. Industrial stakeholders expressed satisfaction over the department’s prompt response and cooperative approach.
The department also issued PT 10 challans to facilitate industrialists in completing legal and taxation requirements. Officials said such facilitation measures were aimed at improving compliance while reducing unnecessary delays for taxpayers.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has paid another Rs 677.7 million to the affectees of Harban in Upper Kohistan as compensation for land acquired for the construction of the Diamer Basha Dam Project.
The compensation cheques were distributed among the affected landowners through the Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga during a ceremony held at Bushi Das.
The ceremony was attended by General Manager and Project Director Diamer Basha Dam Project Engr. Dr. Nazakat Hussain, Deputy Commissioner Upper Kohistan Aziz Ullah Jan, Deputy Commissioner Diamer Lt Muhammad Awais Abbasi (retd), members of the Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga, local elders from Harban and Basha, and senior officials of the district administrations, police and WAPDA.
According to officials, the latest payment is part of WAPDA’s ongoing compensation process for land and property acquired for the multi billion rupee Diamer Basha Dam Project.
The Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga had successfully resolved a longstanding boundary dispute in 2022 through negotiations between the tribes of Harban in Upper Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Thor in Diamer district of Gilgit Baltistan. The settlement paved the way for compensation payments to the affected landowners.
So far, WAPDA has disbursed more than Rs4.48 billion to the district administration of Upper Kohistan and over Rs 59.76 billion to the district administration of Diamer for land and property compensation. The total amount disbursed under land acquisition and property compensation for the Diamer Basha Dam Project has now reached Rs 64.24 billion.
Out of the total 35,924 acres of land required for the project, WAPDA has acquired 33,848 acres so far. This includes 32,428 acres in Gilgit Baltistan and 1,420 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Diamer Basha Dam is considered one of Pakistan’s most important water, food and energy security projects. The dam is being constructed by WAPDA on the River Indus and is designed to store 8.1 million acre feet of water.
After completion, the project will generate 4,500 megawatts of clean and affordable electricity. It will also help irrigate an additional 1.2 million acres of land and contribute around 18 billion units of low-cost electricity to the national grid every year.
Officials said the project will play a major role in strengthening Pakistan’s water storage capacity, supporting agriculture and improving the country’s long-term energy security.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s Standing Committee on Communications and Works has expressed serious concern over slow progress on key development projects, particularly the reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood-damaged roads and bridges in South Waziristan and Upper Dir.
The committee met under the chairmanship of Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani on Wednesday to review the implementation of decisions taken in its previous meeting and assess progress on ongoing development schemes across the province.
The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Alam, committee members Muhammad Yamin Khan, Zubair Khan, Arifa Bibi, Asma Alam, Farah Khan and Shahida Waheed, along with the Secretary Communications and Works Department, officials from the Law Department and representatives of the Provincial Assembly Secretariat.
During the meeting, the committee reviewed directives issued in its earlier session held on December 21, 2024. Members voiced concern that despite the passage of considerable time, only limited progress had been made on a major development project involving the reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood-affected roads and bridges in South Waziristan and Upper Dir.
Chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani observed that the slow pace of work on such important infrastructure projects was unacceptable, particularly in areas where public mobility and local economic activity remained badly affected due to damaged roads and bridges.
Briefing the committee, the Secretary Communications and Works Department said that three inquiries into the project had been completed. He informed the panel that several senior officers had been demoted as a result of the inquiries, while recovery of Rs82 million from various contractors had also been recommended.
However, the secretary said that five contractors had obtained a stay order from the High Court against the recovery process, which has remained in effect since August 2023. He added that the department was facing difficulties in pursuing the matter effectively due to a lack of adequate resources for strong legal representation.
Taking notice of the situation, the committee chairman directed the department to immediately submit a summary for hiring senior legal counsel. He said effective representation before the High Court was necessary to seek vacation of the stay order so that recovery and accountability proceedings could move forward without further delay.
MPA Muhammad Yamin Khan also drew the committee’s attention to the deteriorating condition of roads and bridges in Upper Dir. He said several structures damaged by floods years ago had still not been reconstructed or repaired, causing serious problems for local communities.
In response, the chairman ordered the formation of a subcommittee to visit Upper Dir, inspect ongoing and completed development projects, and submit a detailed report to the standing committee.
Committee members also raised concern over the poor condition of major roads in Mardan district. The standing committee directed the relevant authorities to take immediate and practical measures for the repair and restoration of these roads in order to reduce public difficulties and improve transport conditions in the area.