KABUL (Pajhwok): State land measuring as many as 3,000 acres was wrested back from usurpers in Chaharkint district of northern Balkh province this year, an official announced on Tuesday.
On the other hand, residents of the district voiced satisfaction with the reclamation of state land, urging the caretaker government to lease these lands to them for grazing and other uses.
Chaharkint District Administrative Chief Sifatullah Khalid told Pajhwok Afghan News that the reclaimed land, comprising mainly plains, mountains, irrigation channels, and grazing areas, had been seized during the previous government by local people and influential figures.
He said: “About 25,000 acres of land in the district was identified as state property and 3,000 acres of them have been reclaimed so far. We plan to lease grazing areas and some of the land to local people in the future.”
Meanwhile, local residents welcomed the recovery of the usurped land.
Nazar Wali, an inhabitant of the district, told Pajhwok: “Some people’s lands, houses, and orchards had been seized and we request the government to return property to the rightful owners because this is their responsibility. People are very happy about the recovery of these lands.”
Jafar, another resident, urged the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to lease the reclaimed land and irrigation canals to the people.
He pointed out that over the past two decades, locals rehabilitated barren and damaged lands, and they deserved to be given the land on lease.
District officials also stated that in future, they plan to lease some parts of the reclaimed lands, including agricultural lands and grazing areas, to the local community.
According to the Land Grab Prevention Commission (LGPC), approximately 125,000 acres of state and private land have been identified as seized land over the past three years in the province and more than 70,000 acres have been reclaimed from their usurpers during this period.
kk/ma
GET IN TOUCH
NEWSLETTER
SUGGEST A STORY
PAJHWOK MOBILE APP