CHARSADDA: The district administration has demolished the 60-year-old Sabzi Mandi at Farooq Azam Chowk and handed over the land to Islamia College, sparking strong protests from vegetable vendors.
In response, the vendors set up a new market near a church on Nowshera Road, which the administration has declared illegal and threatened action against.
An agreement had been reached between the administration and the vendors to vacate the Sabzi Mandi by February 23. However, on Sunday night, the authorities launched a sudden operation with heavy machinery.
Vendors and workers of the Awami National Party (ANP) resisted, but the presence of a large police force, tear gas, handcuffs, and rescue teams ensured the administration completed its plan.
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Additional Deputy Commissioner Shehbaz Khattak stated that the Sabzi Mandi was built on eight acres of Islamia College’s land and had become a cause of traffic congestion. He added that the administration had allocated two acres on Nowshera Road for a new market, where business has already started.
During the operation, vendors watched helplessly as their shops were torn down. Some tried in vain to save their carts, while others grieved over the loss of their livelihood. The vendors called the move an "economic massacre" rather than a reform, saying that the government had left them jobless in the name of development.
The vendors have independently set up a new market on 21 acres near a church, close to the police lines, raising security concerns. The district administration has declared it illegal and announced an impending crackdown.
It remains to be seen whether the vendors will be allowed to continue operating from their new location or if the administration will proceed with its "reforms." Will the vendors' struggle yield results, or will they face further economic hardships in the name of progress?
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