GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): About 40,000 acres of state land has been wrested back from illegal occupants in this capital city of southern Ghazni province, said the commission concerned on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ghazni City residents asked the government land grabbing prevention commission to also reclaim state land on which powerful individuals, former lawmakers and government officials have constructed buildings and demolished public places in the previous government.
Maulvi Abdul Manan Ikram, Ghazni Agriculture and Livestock director and head of the commission, told Pajhwok that the 11-member commission was comprised of representatives from different organizations including police, court, prosecutor’s office, municipality, revenue, city planning and agriculture and livestock department.
He said tens of thousands of acres of government land had been usurped in Ghazni’s Deh Khudaidad, Sheikh Abdul Salam, Talkhak Zar, Kehan, Ali Lala, Asfandi, Zargar, Matak Sangan and other deserts and areas by hundreds of people. He said 40,000 acres of usurped land was reclaimed.
Maulvi Ikram added: “The Land Grab Prevention Commission in Ghazni jerked into action six months ago and its focus has been on usurped lands in Ghazni. The commission will extend its activities to 18 districts of Ghazni province to reclaim hundreds of thousands of acres of government land.”
He said dozens of people had been arrested by security forces for land grabbing and they were released after assuring they would not grab state land in future.
He said Land Grab Prevention Commission had intensified its activities to wrest back usurped state land. He said last week alone the commission reclaimed about 1750 acres of government land in Deh Khudaidad area from illegal occupants.
According to him, some people had built boundary walls on the lands and others had grown crops, which were destroyed.
Meanwhile, local residents appreciated the government’s campaign to reclaim usurped land in Ghazni City and said large swaths of government lands were encroached upon in Ghazni city and districts.
Ahmad Hilal, a resident of Ghazni city, told Pajhwok the government should arrest all usurpers, hold them accountable and punish them in order others lean a lesson.
According to him, the previous government had been unable to stop usurpation of state land. He asked the land grab prevention commission to extend its activities to districts.
Haji Najib, a tribal elder, said powerful individuals had seized large swaths of government lands and constructed buildings on them, which could generate huge revenue for the government.
He said in the past government departments had been unable to stop powerful individuals from usurping government lands. “But now the process of reclaiming the land has begun.”
A number of other residents said the government should build residential towns in Ghazni city and districts for people who lacked shelter and had occupied government land.
According to them, if the government distributed land to people for shelter, most areas will be saved from usurpation.
Ghazni is one of the most populous provinces and has vast lands. Former government officials and common people in Ghazni city and districts have grabbed about 200,000 acres of government land in different areas and the incumbent government has started efforts to wrest back it.
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