Land grabbing stopped in Uruzgan after Pajhwok report

TIRINKOT (Pajhwok): The authorities concerned in central Uruzgan province have been ordered to stop the usurpation of state land in Tirinkot, the provincial capital, after Pajhwok Afghan News published a report about the issue in the province.

Powerful individuals had sold plots of state land measuring around 8500 acres on the outskirts of Tirinkot to common people who had built houses.

After publication of the Pajhwok report about the land usurpation, Tirinkot garrison and other authorities concerned had been ordered to take action against powerful individuals.

Hundreds of acres of land in Uruzgan have been usurped while private homes of some people have been sold in recent years.

Governor Asadullah Saeed said the grabbing of private and government land had been prevented in Shaheedano Tapai and Khairo Karez locality. In addition, hundreds of acres of Defense Ministry land situated near the airport had been reclaimed.

Tirinkot Mayor Niamatullah Bakhtyar on his Facebook page wrote the order of implementation of the master plan in Khero Karez and Shaheedano areas from the Ministry of Urban Affairs and said its implementation would be started soon.

Haji Ibrahim Jan, who had started constructing shops on the state land, said personnel from garrison forced him to stop the work and took all his equipment with them.

He said security officials threatened him of custody if he again launched the constructions work.

In addition to Ibrahim Jan, construction works by other individuals have also been stopped.

Samiullah, a resident of Tirinkot, said security personnel took all materials from people doing constructions near the airport and were told not to make constructions on state land.

nh/ma