PESHAWAR: Residents of upper Parwak village here demanded the provincial government set up an independent commission to investigate ‘illegal’ transfer of locals’ properties to other people by the land settlement staff.
Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club, Essa Ali Khan and Mohammad Amin said Chitral-Shandur Road was diverted towards Parwak village from Sonoghur and supposed to pass through the entire length of the village. However, they said, the locals at that time asked the authorities to spare the village and pass the road from shamilat (joint) land.
They said the authorities agreed to this proposal and the road was diverted to shamilat land located near the village and the government did not pay compensation to anyone except a few persons on whose property the road was to passed through.
They said in 1985, these shamilat were brought under cultivation after construction of an irrigation channel and land was distributed between the residents of Parwak and Meregram villages. Besides, they said, the local land owners were paid compensation when the road was expanded in 2001.
They said in 2018 when land settlement started in the area, portions of land were registered against the original owners. However, in 2019, the settlement staff fraudulently transferred ownership of land to other people.
The locals demanded of the provincial government to set up a probe body to investigate the transfer of land and take strict action against the officials behind this fraud.