K-P Assembly: Lawmakers call for taking back recreation land

Minister for information claims land was allotted by former govt.

PESHAWAR:

Calls for taking back a recreation spot allotted in southern Dera Ismail (DI) Khan district to the army echoed in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly on Monday.

The issue was taken up by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Sanjida Yousaf, when, on an adjournment motion, she said that a recreation spot had been constructed on government land in Dera Ismail Khan.

She claimed that the spot has been occupied by land mafia, depriving the public of recreation facilities. However, the provincial government admitted that the land was allotted to the armed forces and was not being occupied by land mafia.

Minister for Law Barrister Arshad Abdullah, however, informed the house that the former government had allotted about 17,000 acres of land to the army which is being used by the air force, army and navy combined; however, last year’s floods washed away the allocated piece of land.

Abdullah said about 2,000 kanals of the Mela Ground has been given to the navy for use after the allocated piece of land was washed away in the floods.

Sayeda Batool Nasir, however, objected and said that the park in question was meant for the public and they have been deprived of it. It is an injustice with Dera Ismail Khan and such issues are forcing the people there to carve out a Seraiki province, she added.

However, Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the land was allotted on record to the army by the former government. Following that particular clarification, the issue was dropped.

The treasury also presented a bill to ensure an error-free publication and recording of the Holy Quran in the assembly. The bill says that unregistered companies cannot engage in Quranic publications and recordings. It also said that board, comprising religious scholars from all sects, will also be established to remove any chances of error.

The bill was moved by Minister for Auqwaf Nimroz Khan. According to this bill, after following the procedures laid down, the registration of companies responsible for the publication and printing of the Holy Quran will be the domain of the Auqwaf department. Also, the owner of the company responsible for publishing the Quran ‘with errors’ will have to face prison time and a Rs20,000 fine and the government could also cancel the company’s registration.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2012.