PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Khan Afridi chaired the 14th meeting of the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) board, presiding over a sweeping series of approvals aimed at modernising urban infrastructure and streamlining civic governance for the 2025-26 financial year.
The session culminated in the formal approval of the annual budget alongside a diverse portfolio of development projects and administrative reforms designed to reshape the provincial capital’s landscape.
In a significant expansion of the authority’s mandate, the board approved the inclusion of Nasir Bagh Road under PDA jurisdiction, mandating a strict building control system and a minimum 20-foot distance between structures to ensure orderly growth. Security and specialised infrastructure also took centre stage, with the allocation of land in Hayatabad for the CTD Regional Headquarters and the approval of a dedicated access road for the FC Teaching Hospital. To further bolster regional security, the Chief Minister sought a formal plan for a comprehensive boundary wall and surveillance system for Hayatabad Town to regulate traffic and enhance resident safety.
Environmental preservation and public space protection remained a priority, as the board took a firm stance against the commercial exploitation of Bagh Naran and Shalman Park. However, commercial activity was strategically encouraged elsewhere, with approvals granted for a petrol pump and commercial sites in Regi Model Town, as well as the replanning of commercial land adjacent to the Hayatabad Medical Complex. The meeting also addressed long-standing administrative issues, offering a conditional restoration window until June 30 for 171 cancelled plots, provided owners clear arrears and rectify violations.
To modernise operations, the board approved the establishment of a PDA Enforcement Directorate and new SOPs for the registration of property dealers. Education and digital connectivity also saw boosts through the allotment of additional land for the Institute of Management Sciences and a six-year lease extension for 16 private mobile network towers. Addressing internal grievances, a dedicated committee was formed to handle PDA employee promotions and concerns, signalling a dual focus on both citywide development and organisational efficiency.
