Sindh allots 9,000 acres of land to army

Islamabad: In an apparent move to defuse tension between the PPP and the security establishment, the Sindh government has decided ‘in principle’ to allot 9,000 acres of its forest lands to Pakistan Army against its 14-year-old ‘application’ for 35,521 acres which it wants to distribute among the heirs of martyred soldiers and wounded military personnel.

The decision to allot 9,000 acres of lands in Garhi Yasin of Shikarpur district to Pakistan army was taken during a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the Chief Minister’s House. The meeting was called to discuss this matter exclusively.

The Sindh government’s move came days after PPP leader Senator Farhatullah Babar hinted in a speech in Senate that the rejection of demand for thousands of acres of lands had led to the present situation which had brought the Rangers and the provincial government at loggerheads.

“Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has decided to allot 9,000 acres of forest lands to Pakistan army for onward distribution among the heirs of martyred and war wounded military personnel,” said a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s House.

“Since the request has been made for the rehabilitation of martyrs’ families and war-wounded military personnel, therefore, this request must be honoured. Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif had personally asked for the allotment of the land,” the statement added.

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