Nowshera residents demand action against land grabbers

PESHAWAR: Residents of Wazir Ghari and Azakhel in Nowshera district have appealed to the authorities concerned to take notice of the land mafia, which has allegedly occupied their land for the establishment of residential colonies without getting any No-Objection Certificate (NOC) and any permission from the relevant authorities.

Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, Gohar Ali, Anwar Ali, Asghar and Asad claimed that some people had occupied their land and also roaming with weapons in the area to terrorise the local population in the broad daylight. They alleged that one Nawab, hailing from Kohistan and living in Lundkhwar area of Mardan, had employed 15 to 20 Afghan refugees and provided them militia uniforms. They said that the armed militia had started construction work on the disputed land in night-time.

They posed a question as to how a person could continue construction without any NOC and permission from the relevant authorities. Gohar Ali and his relatives said that they had repeatedly requested the police, deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner but he alleged that it seemed the land mafia members were more powerful than the mentioned authorities.

They said that instead of providing them justice, the local police registered cases against them at the behest of land mafia. They said they would bring the landowners to Peshawar if the government failed to provide them justice by taking action against the land occupiers.