500 land-grabbers in Baghlan to face music

PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): The justice department on Tuesday said it had prepared a list of 500 individuals involved in grabbing above 28,000 acres of government land in northern Baghlan province.

Syed Mehmood Sadat, the department head, told Pajhwok Afghan News the list would be presented before the provincial attorney office soon.

He said most of the land had been encroached in Pul-i-Khumri, the provincial capital, and other parts of the province by powerful individuals, illegal armed groups and former warlords over the past four years.

However, Sadat refused to disclose names of those on the list, saying the names would be made public only when they refused to return land.

Attorney Din Mohammad Quraishi said his office would initiate legal action on receiving the list from the justice department.

He said land-grab incidents continued uncontrolled in the country due to the authorities’ inaction.

Civil society has long been concerned over the growing culture of land-grab.

Mohammad Nabi Sultani, who speaks for civil society groups in Baghlan, told Pajhwok Afghan News the government had failed to drive illegal occupants from its properties.

Governor Sultan Mohammad Ibadi said a commission assigned to investigate land-grab incidents had been able to retake about 150 acres from illegal grabbers in Khaja Alwan, more than 250 acres in Baghlan-i-Markazi and Khinjan districts.

He said the commission established in March could not continue its job due to some problems, but would resume its work after winter.

aa/ma