Two new graveyards to address needs of Pindiites

Rawalpindi:The local administration, Rawalpindi has recently established a graveyard in Dhok Munshi which is operational while another one in Adiala Road is in process of completion and will be operational very soon. “The graveyard in Dhok Munshi graveyard has huge space for next 10-years at least, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Captain (r) Muhammad Mehmood told ‘The News’ here on Wednesday.

Pindiites are facing difficulties in finding space for a grave. They have to search from place to place to find out space for a grave but in vain. Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Captain (r) Muhammad Mehmood said with these two new graveyards at Dhoke Munshi and Adiala Road, will address to the needs of Pindiites as not only the landlords but their tenants will also get space for a grave here for their deceased ones.

The majority of citizens are yet ignorant about the two newly established graveyards here in Dhok Munshi and Adiala Road. The 16 graveyards in the city and 10 in the cantonment areas are left with no space but the gravediggers still make room for the new burials by altering the old graves after getting bribe. The shortage of space in the graveyards has become a big issue and resultantly people approach everywhere to get a space for a grave.

All the main graveyards including Ratta Amral, Pirwdahi, Eidgha Sharif, Shah Diya Talian, Kurri Road, Dhoke Khabba, Dhoke Illahi Bukhs, Chah Sultan, Malikan Da Kabristan, and Committee Chowk graveyard have fallen short of space. Similarly, there is no space in the graveyards in jurisdiction of Cantonment board localities.

In 1997 the then Punjab government had allocated 1000-kanals land for graveyard here at Rakh Dhamyal some 20-kilometers away from the city. Rakh Dhamyal graveyard is too far away from the city areas therefore people avoid going there.

Talking to ‘The News’, citizens belonging to different areas appreciated the establishment of two new graveyards in Rawalpindi. They demanded the establishment of a graveyard near city localities. The citizens also alleged that gravediggers were making new graves on the unattended ones after taking ‘bribe’.