KOHAT: Tehsil municipal administration (TMA)registered an FIR against some Afghan refugee handcart owners who attacked and tore the clothes of anti-encroachment staff before fleeing, leaving behind their belongings. The terrible event happened during an operation to expand the public’s access to bazaar roadways. According to an official, the handcart owners had been resurfacing and contesting the government writ. The anti-encroachment campaign had now been stepped up and would go on until all bazaars were cleared of encroachments, he stressed. Mohammad Vaqas, a senior official of TMA said at a press conference on Friday that a copy of FIR had been given to the district police officer (DPO) who had asked the police officials concerned for the arrest of the accused. Additionally, the DPO had directed that CCTV footage of the incident be obtained in order to use it as evidence in court. According to TMA official, they had been following the instructions of the district administration rather than imposing their own agenda. Mr Vaqas claimed that they had given advance notices to the encroachers on the request of the office-bearers of the traders’ association to remove handcarts voluntarily. However, they had ignored the directives and they didn’t leave the bazaars or move to the Sasta bazaar, where free electricity, water, and shelter were available.