A large number of protesters blocked Tarbela Road as well as a check post. The demonstrations were led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MPA Faisal Zaman and other candidates who participated in the local government elections.
Nasar Iqbal, a PTI tehsil council member who was elected from Kundi, told The Express Tribune Wapda officials demolished the houses of Muhammad Rehman, his sons and relatives at 3:30am on Thursday. According to Iqbal, the assistant commissioner had directed them to raze the houses to the ground without any prior notice.
“Wapda officials had insisted the land occupied by villagers belonged to them,” he said. “On the other hand, the occupants claim they are the legitimate owners of the land since before the construction of Tarbela Dam.”
Iqbal said the authorities did not even allow residents to remove their belongings with them and many of them have suffered losses worth millions of rupees. Moreover, Wapda officials also illegally detained some of the residents in a guest house after their houses were demolished.
During the protest, residents urged the relevant authorities to register an FIR against Wapda officials, compensate the owners and reconstruct their houses.
The protesters dispersed peacefully after police assured residents FIRs will be registered against Wapda authorities.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Omar, one of the villagers, has registered complaints against Chief Engineer Civil Amin Khan, security in charge Ayaz Wali, among others. However no arrests have been made so far.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2015.
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