PESHAWAR – Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is facing pressure over a possible demolition operation targeting his party’s provincial headquarters, and Ansar-ul-Islam volunteers have taken control of security at Mufti Mahmood Centre in Peshawar, raising fears of a potential clash between religious party supporters and authorities under Governor Rule.
Senior JUI-F leaders are reportedly moving inside party headquarters, and volunteers have established a security cordon around the premises. The situation intensified following reports that parts of Mufti Mahmood Centre, located on Ring Road, could be targeted in an anti-encroachment campaign launched after the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
مفتی محمود مرکز پر انصار اسلام فورس تعینات https://t.co/biJdT35wQo
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JUI-F Volunteers reportedly surrounded the entire complex, as extraordinary arrangements transformed what would ordinarily be a municipal enforcement operation into potential political flashpoint involving one of Pakistan’s most influential religious parties.
The presence of organised volunteers around building facing possible demolition raised questions about whether enforcement teams could encounter resistance if they attempt to remove the disputed structures.
The latest tensions comes after officials from Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and the district administration carried out a marking exercise around the JUI-F provincial secretariat on Sunday. Several buildings and structures surrounding the Mufti Mahmood Centre were reportedly marked as part of the ongoing campaign against illegal constructions and encroachments.
The disputed structures reportedly include portions of the outer boundary wall and adjoining areas, although the precise extent of any alleged encroachment remains unclear. Questions have also emerged over whether certain security barriers around the premises were originally installed with administrative approval.
The confrontation comes amid an intensified campaign against unauthorised constructions and illegal encroachments across Peshawar following the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. District authorities and relevant enforcement departments have launched extensive operations targeting buildings and structures considered to be in violation of municipal regulations.
Several allegedly illegal constructions along Ring Road have already been demolished, signalling the administration’s determination to continue the crackdown. The authorities maintain that the campaign is intended to enforce construction laws, recover encroached public spaces and ensure that illegal structures are removed without discrimination.
CDA issues notice over ‘encroachments’ at Fazlur Rehman’s residence
