Swat villagers do not want to give up land for cantonment – Pakistan

SF: Residents of 13 villages in Kabal tehsil said here on Sunday that they will not give up any part of their land for the planned cantonment expansion.

They vowed to resist any such government attempts. The decision was made at a jirga convened by elders and organized by local NGO Sama Laar. The jirga was attended by hundreds of people, including MPA Sultan-e-Rom, Sher Shah Khan, Sultan Ali Khan, Riaz Ahmad, Sultanate Khan, Zahid Khan, Imran Khan and Rashid Ahmad Swati.

They said that most of their land had already been acquired over the years for projects such as the airport, cantonment, bypass road and Swat Expressway. Now, they said, the state is looking for more residential and agricultural land to expand the cantonment.

Local elders recalled that around 6,000 kanals of land were taken for cantonment a few years ago, citing Section 4, while the government paid them compensation at the rate of only Rs 250 per square foot.

They said the rate was much lower than the market price, which was around Rs 1,700 per sq ft for residential land and Rs 25,000 per sq ft for commercial space. They added that many local residents believe their land was forcibly seized.

Jirga vows to resist any government move to force eviction

They stated that 13 villages including Nigolai, Bara Bandai, Koza Bandai, Derai, Kanju, Dangram, Mamderai, Sundherai, Gwareja, Delay, Dugalgo, Seagram, Lalo Bandai, Kamar Banda, Maluka, Jutkot, Rana and Khan Tangi will be the proposed extension of the cantonment period is affected.

Villagers said these lands were the only source of livelihood for many, which they did not want to sacrifice. “If the government insists on taking over our land, we are willing to sacrifice our lives rather than give up our homes and farmlands. We are deeply rooted in this land and have no intention of leaving it,” they added.

Jirga participants expressed concerns about the displacement, saying there was not enough land in Swat to accommodate the more than 45,000 people who would be affected. “We don’t want to become refugees in our own land. If we are forced to leave, we would rather die on our own land than be driven out,” they said.

They said any attempt by the state to forcibly evict them would be met with strong resistance.

Published in Dawn magazine, November 4, 2024