Private property?: Villagers in Karak condemn move to acquire land

Demand the administration to revoke the decision.

KARAK: Flaying the administration’s move to acquire private land, villagers from Shnawa Gudikhel in Takhti Nasrati tehsil, Karak condemned the imposition of Section-IV in the area by the Atomic Energy Commission.

An emergency meeting of the affected people was held in the tehsil under the chairmanship of Usman Ghani Jan, an elder from the area, on Sunday.

Another elder, Hafiz Habibur Rehman, while addressing participants of the meeting, said Atomic Energy Commission has been working in the area since 1982, but has now imposed Section-IV in the village to acquire 3,500 kanals of land belonging to the locals.

Rehman said the decision has affected 70 families in the area, adding locals were kept in the dark about the move.



Another participant of the meeting, Syed Gul alleged the commission hasn’t delivered anything to the residents but cancer and tuberculosis, and blamed District Revenue Officer Nazar Muhammad for the transfer of the land to the Commission under Section-IV.

The participants demanded the district administration for immediate relief, saying the decision should be revoked. They warned the authorities will be held responsible for any extreme step the villagers might take if their demands are not met.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2013.