Over 12 kanals: Residents of two villages at loggerheads over graveyard

Shoot-out between Karkani, Kandari groups claims one life, disrupts routine

SHABQADAR: A dispute over 12 kanals of land in two villages in Battagram union council, Shabqadar has turned violent; residents of both the areas are ready to kill their opponents. The situation has forced locals to confine themselves to the boundaries of their houses, as they fear the consequences of running into their rivals.

“More than a hundred students have stopped going to school, fearing they would be killed,” a local, Waleed Khan, told The Express Tribune.

Lay of the land

Some residents of Kandari and Karkani are at loggerheads over a 24-kanal piece of land that was given for the construction of a graveyard. The land was donated by the forefathers of residents of Karkani village and people of the area are of the view only 12 out of the 24 kanals were donated.

On the other hand, Kandari residents are of the view that the remaining 12 kanals are also part of the graveyard and installed a hand pump near the tomb of an elder.

The act elicited a strong response from Karkani locals. However, the people of Kandari retaliated by blocking the road that leads to their rival village.

As the dispute escalated, a shoot-out took place between groups from both villages on September 30. The encounter claimed the life of Faqeer Jan of Kandari. The death of Faqeer Jan added to the gravity of the situation, leaving locals gripped by fear.

Not only have children in the areas stopped attending schools, “Government officials are also sneaking to work,” said Tahirullah of Karkani, who is nominated in an FIR over the killing of Faqeer Jan.

The flipside

Mazzaullah, the general councillor of Kandari, said the firing took place when Karkani’s residents tried to use the remaining 12 kanals for agricultural purposes. The deceased, Faqeer, was his relative.

Hidayatullah, said people of both villages are related by blood but the greed for property and money led to this bloody feud.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2015.