250 acres of Sher Khan Port township’s land usurped

KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): Powerful individuals have usurped land measuring 250 acres at the Sher Khan dry port township in northern Kunduz province, the township’s officials said on Thursday.

Sayed Maqsod Zadran, manager of the township, said the residential scheme had been allotted a total 750 acres of land, but local powerful figures had encroached unpon 250 acres.

A number of the usurpers have already been introduced to the attorney’s office, Zadran said, adding: “We tried a lot to prevent the land grabbing and talked to security officials, but in vain, we even once tried to destroy the township but local people here prevented us,” he said.

The township contains around 1,800 residential plots for traders. Besides business markets, warehouses, cold storages and all needed facilities are expected to be made available in the township.

Sayed Shah, a resident of Sher Khan Bandar, expressed concern over the grabbing of land at the township and said the government had been unsuccessful in resolving the problem.

“Most of the land plots at Sher Khan Bandar Township are usurped, government officials are aware but reluctant to take action,” he said.

Sayed Mahmod Danish, Kunduz governor’s spokesman, rejected if the provincial government was doing nothing to prevent land grabbing.

He said the newly-appointed governor, Asadullah Omarkhel, was serious in the fight against land grabbing.

“The president’s order is land grabbing issues should be decisively dealt with. Soon those involved in the crime will be introduced to judicial organs,” he said.

Kunduz police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Hamid Hamidi said police forces were helping all government organs in addressing the land-grab issue.

 “We cooperate in prevention of land grabbing, but some officials justify their weakness by accusing security forces of noncooperation,” he said.

Spread over 750 acres of land, the foundation stone of the Sher Khan Bandar Township was laid in 2005.

After initial construction works inaugurated by then commerce and industry minister Anwarul Haq Ahadi in 2013, the construction process has been suspended since then.

Sher Khan is one of important transit ports of the country in Kunduz province that shares border with Tajikistan. Traders use the port for exportation and importation of goods from Central Asia, Middle East and Persian Gulf.

mds/ma

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