KP Govt. to introduce legislation to protect livelihoods of street vendors

PESHAWAR, Nov 20 (APP): Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi has said that the province was set to introduce historic legislation on the street economy for the first time adding that it would be major step toward formalizing and protecting the livelihoods of thousands of street vendors.
The chief minister confirmed that the draft of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehsaas Rehribaan (Street Vendors) Livelihood Protection Bill 2025 has been completed. The draft is being forwarded to the provincial cabinet for approval and would subsequently be placed before the provincial assembly for consideration, said a press release issued here Thursday.
The CM said that KP would become the first province in the country to make the rights of street vendors a permanent and enforceable part of the legal framework. According to details, more than 140,000 street vendors across the province will be incorporated into a formal system of state protection under the new law.
He said that no official, authority or private individual would be permitted to unlawfully seize vending spaces, displace vendors or exert pressure on their livelihoods. By giving structure to the street economy, currently estimated at more than Rs380 billion, the CM said the provincial government had taken a historic step toward regulating and safeguarding a sector that has traditionally remained informal and vulnerable.
The chief minister noted that the proposed legislation addresses longstanding issues faced by street vendors including harassment, bribery, extortion and sudden removal from vending locations. Under the bill, acts of intimidation, coercion, rent seeking, or illegal payments demanded from vendors, whether by government officials, police personnel or private individuals would be treated as serious criminal offenses.
He said that one of the core features of the legislation was its emphasis on due process, ensuring that no anti-encroachment action of any kind would be permissible against registered vendors without prior notice, evidence based justification and adherence to legal procedure.
He added that, in addition to legal safeguards, the bill extends access to microfinance, credit, insurance and emergency support. These measures would enable street vendors to become part of the formal economic system.
The CM stated that the inclusion of vendor representation in all decisions of the Tehsil Vending Committees was another key feature of the proposed law. These committees, he noted, will oversee vending zones, regulate registration and handle dispute resolution
The bill reflects the provincial government’s commitment to restoring the pride, self-worth and economic security of street vendors who have long operated under precarious conditions, he added.