Close X
Sunday, January 26, 2025
ADVT 
International

Pakistan Villagers Face Eviction, Demand Fair Compensation, Say Ready To Part With Land, Not Houses

Darpan News Desk IANS, 22 Mar, 2019 08:23 PM

    As Pakistan and India discuss the alignment of Kartarpur corridor, some 600 villagers who are facing “forcible eviction” due to the project say they will block the development work if denied compensation of their land on commercial rates.


    The entire population (600) of Kothay Khurd village, where Gurdwara Dera Sahib Kartarpur is located (some 125 km from Lahore), has been ordered by the district administration to vacate their houses immediately for the development of the corridor to facilitate the Sikh pilgrims from India.


    “My ancestors had settled in the village even before the partition and now our fifth generation is living here. Some officials told the residents that the government was planning to build Kartarpur corridor on our land, therefore we will have to vacate it,” Mohammad Arshad of Kothay Khurd said.


    “We are living in the area for centuries and it is not possible for us to leave the area and the graves of our ancestors,” another villager Zaeem Hussain said, adding that the government officials had only told them that they would be compensated after their land and houses had been acquired.


    Hussain said there had been consensus among the villagers to sacrifice their agricultural land, but none of them was ready to leave their ancestral houses.


    He said the villagers would protest and not let the government develop the corridor if it forcibly evicted them from their houses. “We want compensation of our land on commercial rates,” he demanded.


    The Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee has demanded immediate compensation for farmers at commercial rates. It said no ordinary compensation would be accepted and the affected families be given one job each.


    Deputy Commissioner Waheed Asghar says the government is acquiring the land under Section 4 of the Punjab Land Acquisition Act 1894, and it will pay compensation for the crop and land. He denied that the government was forcefully evicting the villagers. “We are trying to resolve the matter peacefully,” he said.


    Evacuee Trust Property Board spokesman Asif Hashmi said almost 40 per cent of the work on the corridor had been completed. “It will be completed by November to observe the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev,” he said.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Taliban Being Used As 'Hedge' Against India, Says US Army Officer

    Days after US President Donald Trump sought Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's help in the Afghan peace process, a top American commander has told lawmakers that Islamabad's policy seems to be unchanged and it continues to use the Taliban as a hedge against India.

    Taliban Being Used As 'Hedge' Against India, Says US Army Officer

    Vijay Mallya Offers To Pay 100% Principal Amount, Makes 'Humble Request' To Banks, Govt On Twitter

    Vijay Mallya Offers To Pay 100% Principal Amount, Makes 'Humble Request' To Banks, Govt On Twitter
    Fugitive liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya on Wednesday said his extradition from the UK to India will take its own legal course, while offering to pay back 100 per cent of "public money".

    Vijay Mallya Offers To Pay 100% Principal Amount, Makes 'Humble Request' To Banks, Govt On Twitter

    Indian Man Rajinder Sachdeva Gets Jail For Pocketing Nearly $3,00,000 In Kickbacks

    Indian Man Rajinder Sachdeva Gets Jail For Pocketing Nearly $3,00,000 In Kickbacks
    An Indian-origin former manager for a suburban bus agency has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for pocketing nearly USD 300,000 in gratuities and kickbacks from contractors.

    Indian Man Rajinder Sachdeva Gets Jail For Pocketing Nearly $3,00,000 In Kickbacks

    Indian-Origin Woman Found Dead In UK Home Was Killed By Cheating 'Gay' Husband

    The husband of a 34-year-old Indian-origin pharmacist found dead in her home in Middlesborough, northern England, earlier this year has been found guilty of her murder on Tuesday.

    Indian-Origin Woman Found Dead In UK Home Was Killed By Cheating 'Gay' Husband

    India, US To Enhance Defence Ties As Nirmala Sitharaman Visits Pentagon

    US Defence Secretary Mattis welcomed his counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman to the Pentagon on Monday for the fourth set of talks the two defense leaders have held this year.

    India, US To Enhance Defence Ties As Nirmala Sitharaman Visits Pentagon

    Indian-Origin Man Jailed For Molesting Woman On Bus In Singapore

    Indian-Origin Man Jailed For Molesting Woman On Bus In Singapore
    The woman asked Kajayendran Krishnan to stop touching her but he persisted, calling her "sarakku", or "hot chick" in Tamil.

    Indian-Origin Man Jailed For Molesting Woman On Bus In Singapore