CHITRAL: Police have been accused of taking side with an influential person against Karimabad residents over a row related to grazing in a local pasture.
A resident of the Karimabad told ChitralToday that due to the incessant flooding, the local community of Kiyar and Susum villages and the owner of the pasture, Shahzada Haiderul Mulk of Shoghor, entered into an agreement about 12 years ago not to use the pasture for grazing.
After the agreement, they said, the local people sold out their goats and sheep to ensure the implementation of the agreement in order to save the area from flooding as continuous grazing denuded the mountains causing floods.
However, the local people said a few days ago in the darkness of the night Shahzada Haiderul Mulk sent his Gujjar shepherds along with over 350 goats to the pasture violating the agreement. The local people handed over the goats to the police at the Shoghor police station.
However, the residents alleged that using his influence, Mr Mulk managed to book scores of people from the village through the police who were later sent to the district jail. They were booked under different sections of Pakistan penal Code on the complaint of Mr Mulk.
The complainant alleged that the residents of the area beat his shepherds and animals besides trying to attack his house in Shoghore.
Mr Mulk could not be contacted by ChitralToday for his version on the story.