Bone of contention: Makeshift structures demolished in Maqpoon Das

Police, Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts conduct operation to evict warring villagers

GILGIT:

Law-enforcement agencies razed dozens of makeshift structures to the ground in Maqpoon Das in Gilgit district on Friday night. The decision was taken to put an end to a long-standing tussle between claimants to the land and evict them from the territory.

There is an ongoing land dispute over Maqpoon Das and residents of Haramosh, Chamugarh and Jalalabad villages have staked a claim on the territory. Earlier, in January, a large number of people were injured after the residents of the three villages exchanged fire and pelted each other with stones.

“The operation was conducted on Friday night,” an official told The Express Tribune on Saturday. “The police and Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts jointly conducted the raid.”

He added, “The decision to raze the structures was taken in view of a long-standing dispute that was developing potential to trigger bloodshed.”

As a precautionary measure, the district administration deployed police around the territory to maintain law and order.

Up in arms

Following the operation, residents of Haramosh took to the streets and blocked Skardu highway. As a result, traffic was disrupted for several hours. A large number of residents flayed the Gilgit-Baltistan government, saying it was acting against the will of the people.

“This is condemnable,” a protester said. “We will not let the government usurp our land.” Protesters threatened to march towards Gilgit and demand action against a decision “which deprived them of their lands”.

They called the action illegal and tantamount to contempt of court as the issue was sub judice in an anti-terrorism court.

Following the clashes in January, the district administration sealed the territory and deployed a heavy contingent of police and Gilgit Scouts to avert any untoward situation. The government booked several people under the anti-terrorism act for posing a threat to law and order.

On February 15, an anti-terrorism court issued arrest warrants against over 216 men who were involved in the clashes.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2016.