Taqi Naqi Township is illegal: Herat mayor

HERAT CITY (PAN): The mayor on Saturday said a township has been illegally constructed west of Herat City, the provincial capital.

A probe into Taqi Naqi Township documents revealed the residential scheme has been implemented without approval by President Hamid Karzai and the Cabinet.

Mayor Mohammad Salim Tarakai told Pajhwok Afghan News many people had purchased plots and some had even built houses in the township, 15 kilometres west of Herat City on the Islam Qala road.

Accusing his predecessors of negligence in allowing the scheme to proceed, Tarakai said about 2,000 people had purchased land plots in the township constructed three years back.

The mayor asked the government to launch a thoroughgoing investigation into the unauthorised scheme.

Ahmad Khan, a returnee from neighbouring Iran, said he had bought a land plot in Taqi Naqi Township and he had been issued legal documents by the municipality.

“Several houses have been constructed in the township. We don’t know why municipality officials are saying the project is illegal three years after its construction began,” he asked.

“It is not a joke, we have received legal documents from the government and I have a house constructed in the township. How can it be illegal?” Khan continued.

Shams, another plot owner, said he had met all legal formalities before embarking on his house construction. “Our houses are not illegal, but officials are corrupt. The government should bring them to justice,” he demanded.

The mayor acknowledged people’s complaints were right, but said the problem had been left unresolved by former municipality officials. He said the issue had been shared with provincial departments concerned.

mds/ma/mud

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