KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says the Commission for the Prevention of Land Grabbing has identified more than 367,573 jeribs of public pastureland in northern Jawzjan province.
In a statement, the ministry said the pasturelands are located in Jawzjan city and the districts of Khwaja Du Koh, Khanqah, Qush Tepa, Aqcha, Faizabad and Darzab.
It said 93.74 percent of the identified land, amounting to more than 344,000 jeribs, remains pastureland. However, around 23,000 jeribs have lost their natural status after being converted by local residents into rain-fed and irrigated farmland, residential areas or other forms of occupancy.
The statement added that, under Article 13 of the Law on the Prevention of Land Grabbing and the Restitution of Grabbed Lands, encroachment on public pastureland, its conversion into agricultural land, construction of residential buildings or any other form of occupation is prohibited.
The survey and assessment team appointed by the Commission for the Prevention of Land Grabbing and the Restitution of Grabbed Lands is continuing to inspect pasturelands in other provinces. Once the survey and verification process is completed, the identified pasturelands will be registered in the national land bank, the statement concluded.
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