From encroachers, animals: Charsadda’s historic graveyard under ‘attack’ (Islamabad city)

PHC issues notice to deputy commissioner, Auqaf secretary

PESHAWAR: A historical graveyard located in Charsadda is being encroached upon by influential land grabbers of the area.

This was heard by a two-judge bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Muhammad Ayub Khan.

A petition on the alleged land grabbing had been submitted by Niaz Muhammad, a resident of the area, through Advocate Yousaf Ali.

“A historic and largest graveyard of the region is the victim of illegal encroachment,” the petitioner pleased before the court. Ali added that the existence of the graveyard can be traced back to a time when Charsadda was known as Pushkalvati, the capital of the ancient Gandhara civilization.

Apart from humans, the lawyer contended that the graveyard had been infested with a host of animals such as dogs and jackals who find refuge in the graveyard and keep digging deeper tunnels. They also dig up bodies which have recently been buried.

“It is the legal duty of the administration to remove the filth and garbage from the graveyard on a daily bases and maintain a good environment,” the petitioner argued. The caves, he demanded, should be filled and the wild animals are driven out.

The administration, he went on, has to take appropriate and timely action to build safety and boundary walls to prevent the graveyard’s further deterioration and to prevent the public from dumping garbage there.

“The government has a duty to maintain the sanctity of graveyards,” the petitioner told the court.

After hearing the arguments of the petitioner, the court issued notices to Charsadda deputy commissioner, the Auqaf secretary, and the Tehsil Municipal Authority to submit responses to the petition by the next hearing of the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2018.