PESHAWAR, Aug 26: Stake-holders in the under-construction Regi Model Town have asked the government to change its name because the village of Regi has become notorious for crimes.

Talking to Dawn, several housing societies’ representatives who had been allotted plots in the Regi Model Town, expressed concern over the nomenclature of the housing scheme.

They argued that it was a detached property for which they had paid the money to the government and its present name would create problems for its dwellers in future.

They said the present name would scare away the investors because no one would like to invest money in an area notorious for criminal activities. The land on which the housing scheme is being developed is located close to Regi village which has been named after the same village.

To cater to the needs of the housing problem in the provincial metropolis, the government launched a housing scheme on the 4,616-acre barren land and prepared 26,357 plots measuring 20, 10 and 5 marlas. Most of these plots have been allotted to the government employees working in different government departments in Peshawar at nominal rates.

Several people had been killed due to the claim of the residents of the Regi village, with the latter claiming to be the ultimate owners of the property even without having the ownership documents.

Even after the start of work on the town, the people of Regi village are still issuing threatening statements and pasting posters in different government departments to keep the aspirants from getting plots in the town. They also warn the allottees of dire consequences if they didn’t withdraw their names from the scheme.

A few years back, a former IG police Mohammad Yousaf Orakzai was killed by the people of Regi village because the slain police officer had bought a large chunk of land while the people were reluctant to give the land to him.

The stake-holders argued they fear that the people of the Regi village would create problems in future and it would be in the fitness of things to rename the scheme.

They cited the example of Hayatabad Township which was constructed in Shah Kas area but not named Shah Kas. Therefore, there should be a suitable name for the new town, they urged.