DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Standing Committee on Local Government, Elections and Rural Development of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Thursday approved the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehsaas Street Vendors Bill 2026” and referred it to the provincial assembly for formal passage.
The meeting was held at the Provincial Assembly Secretariat under the chairmanship of Abdul Kabir Khan.
Members of the committee, including MPAs Zar Alam Khan and Sobia Shahid, attended the meeting, while Ejaz Muhammad and Adnan Khan participated via Zoom. Officials from the Local Government Department, Law Department, Advocate General’s Office and Provincial Assembly Secretariat were also present.
During the meeting, the committee carried out a detailed review of the proposed legislation, which had earlier been approved by the cabinet and referred to the standing committee for further consideration.
Briefing the participants, officials of the Local Government Department said the law would help protect the rights of street vendors, ensure employment stability, improve urban management and address traffic-related issues.
The committee was informed that under the proposed law, a provincial-level steering committee headed by the local government minister would be established, while the director general of PDA, commissioners and representatives of relevant departments would serve as members.
Special committees would also be formed at the tehsil level to regulate and manage the affairs of street vendors.
According to the proposed bill, all street vendors would be formally registered and issued licences to ensure legal recognition and professional protection.
Officials informed the meeting that a nominal fee would be charged for the issuance and renewal of licences, while fines and fees would be deposited directly into the government treasury through a digital QR code system to ensure transparency and minimise corruption.
The committee was further informed that all previously issued licences would become void after enforcement of the law in order to establish a unified system.
Lawmakers were told that the allocation of designated vending spaces would improve traffic flow and reduce congestion and disorder in markets and urban areas.
The committee members said the initiative would help citizens gain easier access to daily-use items while providing street vendors with dignified and secure livelihoods.
It was also decided that an annual performance report on the system would be presented before the cabinet and the provincial assembly to ensure oversight and continuous improvement.
The chairman and members of the committee termed the proposed legislation a significant initiative for the poor and working class and expressed hope that it would improve urban administration, sanitation, traffic management and the local economy.
