In a shocking display of power abuse, the police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have seized a leased rest house in Nathia Gali, a popular tourist destination. The rest house, which was rented by a private company for 15 years, was invaded by the police on December 29, 2023, who evicted the staff and claimed the property as their own.
The caretaker chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has ordered an inquiry into the matter, but only after the federal interior ministry intervened and asked him to do so. Sources say that the chief minister’s secretariat has instructed the provincial inspection team to conduct an investigation, but no one expects any results from this toothless body.
The company that runs the rest house has expressed its dismay over the show cause notice issued by the KP culture and tourism authority, which accused the company of violating the lease agreement. The company has said that the notice was issued after a long time had passed since the signing of the contract, and that it was a ploy to justify the police’s illegal actions.
The company has also alleged that the KP police department has taken over two other subsidiary places, and that the tourism department has issued the notice without understanding the situation or taking a site inspection. The company has appealed to the higher authorities to intervene and restore its rights.
It is worth mentioning that the KP sports, tourism, archaeology, museum and youth affairs department had leased the police rest house in Nathia Gali to the private company in June 2021, in a bid to promote tourism and generate revenue. However, it seems that the police have other plans for the rest house, and are not willing to share it with anyone else.
This incident has raised serious questions about the governance and law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and has exposed the hypocrisy and incompetence of the caretaker government. It has also tarnished the image of the province as a tourist destination, and has discouraged potential visitors from exploring its natural beauty.