By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi
PESHAWAR: Authorities in Peshawar have launched a major operation against land grabbers, loan sharks, and street robbers, aiming to reclaim property and land seized from residents through threats and violence.
Police officials said that the crackdown targets individuals and groups who had used weapons to forcibly take over valuable urban land and real estate. To intensify enforcement, authorities have compiled detailed lists of suspected members of the city’s notorious land mafia.
Last year alone, 75 cases were registered against the land mafia, leading to the arrest of 242 out of 332 suspects, the police said. Residents reported that filing a complaint with authorities often helped them regain possession of their property, but incidents of robbery and extortion continue to pose a serious challenge.
Police have also stepped up action against loan sharks, with all 63 suspects involved in 51 registered cases already in custody. Officials stressed that no leniency would be shown to those exploiting residents through usury or illegal occupation, signaling a sustained effort to restore law and order in the city.
The operations form part of a broader effort to curb organized crime in Peshawar, protect citizens’ rights, and dismantle networks that threaten public safety and property.
