Charsadda locals seek help from PM Imran to protect their land from land mafia

Author: Staff Report

Residents of Charsadda, Tehsil Tangi are fighting hard to save their agricultural land from a land mafia, supported by influential politicians of whom some are currently office bearers in the Provincial and the National Assembly.

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in his electoral manifesto of 1970, introduced agriculture reforms. His vision was to facilitate the common man and peasants, but this dream was stolen and destroyed by land mafia and oppressors who used these reforms for self benefits and to show off their power, as a result of which many local residents lost their lives and shelters.

Ultimately, 85,000 hectors land worth more than Rs 200 million was grabbed by the land mafia in Charsadda mainly in the area of Northern Hashtnagar.

The issue has three dimensions associated to it. Firstly, the food chain of the country is badly affected. Most importantly, the rightful owners of these lands are deprived of their land by these extremely powerful land grabbers and there is uncertainty of law and order situation in the area.

Land Owners Association (LOA) President Akbar Nawaz Khan has requested Prime Minister Imran Khan and Interior Minister Shehryar Khan Afridi to protect their land from the strong political backed land grabbers. LOA President Akbar Nawaz Khan while addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, Islamabad further added that the current government is fighting against the menace of land grabbing which is encouraging. He said that we have been visiting the courts starting from the district level to the highest court of Pakistan for good 45 years.

“We got relief from the courts in shape of positive decisions, but these decisions could not be implemented by the law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Under these circumstances, the rightful owners have appealed to PM Imran Khan, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Chief Justice Peshawar High Court, Khyber Pakhtunkwa chief minister, Corps Commander Peshawar and Inspector General Police to implement the court’s orders and provide relief to the deserving and lawful landowners.

Published in Daily Times, October 4^th 2018.