PAKPATTAN: The Punjab government’s scheme to allot land to agriculture graduates is a positive step. It will definitely help in overcoming the downfall that the agriculture sector has witnessed. The credit for initiating this policy goes to the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. However, there are some shortcomings in the policy due to which land allottees are suffering a lot.
In my case, I was allotted a disputed piece of land (12.5 acres) in 2010, in 46 EB, Arifwala, Pakpattan. Because of the land’s disputed ownership, it has been over a year since I have been attending sessions in the police station, the revenue board, the civil court and also at the high court without any support from the Punjab government. This situation has been created because the previous illegal occupants of the land are not happy with this allotment and have full support of the area’s MPA and MNA. The secretary for colonies has ordered cancellation of the allotment in my name without giving me prior notice.
I have to spend all my capital on dealing with the revenue staff, the police, lawyers and other government personnel. I am also not allowed to take up any private or government job, while I have ownership of this allotted land. I appeal to the chief minister take notice of the issue and address my grievances and ensure that I am awarded with ownership rights of the land as soon as possible.
Jawad Ahmad
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2012.
