Expat requests PHC CJ, others to help him reclaim property

PESHAWAR: An overseas Pakistani has urged the Peshawar High Court chief justice, chief minister, inspector general of police and corps commander to take immediate action and help him reclaim his house from an alleged land mafia.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Noor Zaman stated that he had purchased a seven-marla double-story house in 2022 in the Hadipura locality of Bakhshi Pul area on Charsadda Road for Rs 11.4 million.

Later, he rented out the property through a real estate agent and collected rent for 10 to 12 months, for which he had all the necessary documentary evidence.However, he alleged that the property dealer, Muhammad Shah (a resident of Bakhshi Pul), and Zakir (a resident of Paharipura), illegally occupied his house.

He lamented that no action has been taken against the alleged land grabbers despite filing multiple written complaints with various police stations and senior police officers.Noor Zaman said several jirgas were held to resolve the issue but that did not work.

He accused Khazana Police Station of siding with the land grabbers, alleging that they received a share from the accused, Muhammad Shah and Zakir. “It is unfortunate that we work hard abroad and invest in properties here, only to have them illegally occupied. The biggest tragedy is that although we have laws, these are not implemented. The land mafia appears to be more powerful than the law,” he said, asking who would invest in a country where land grabbers were above the law.