March 16, 2006	Thursday	Safar 15, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, March 15: Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro on Wednesday referred the matter of land acquisition by the government in Kohat at a very low rate to the standing committee on defence after a strong protest by Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour.

During the question hour, Mr Bilour drew the attention of the house towards a written reply given by Federal Minister for Defence Rao Sikandar Iqbal to a question of Wali Mohammad Badini in which he had asked whether there was any proposal under consideration of the government to acquire agricultural land from the farmers in some NWFP villages and what compensation would be paid to the affected people.

The defence minister told the house that the federal government had acquired land under the Land Acquisition Act 1894 in Mauza Khaddar Khel, Mehmandi and Culsha Khel, Tehsil Lachi, Kohat district, in 2003. He said the government sanctioned the land through the ministry of defence.

Giving details, the minister said that 4,61 kanals and 13 marlas land was being acquired in Mauza Khaddar Khel, 3,325 kanals in Mauza Mehmandi, 4,648 kanals and 19 marlas land in Mauza Gulsha Khel.

The minister further said that a proposal for acquisition of land at village Sheikh Buland Banda was under consideration of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) authorities. He said the compensation had been fixed in the shape of Award issues under Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894. He said the cost of land fixed at Mauza Khadar Khel was Rs596,678.45 at the rate of Rs1,113 per kanal and 15 per cent compulsory acquisition charges; Rs3,288,425 at the rate of Rs860 per kanal at village Mehmandi and Rs30,353,041 at the rate of Rs5,677.40 per kanal at village Gulsha Khel.

The ANP senator expressed his surprise over the rate given for the land at village Mehmandi in Kohat and asked the chairman to refer the matter to the defence committee. At first, the chairman tried to defer the matter saying that he would ask the minister to re-check the figures as there was a possibility of a typographical error.

Mr Bilour said that even a grave could not be acquired in Kohat for Rs860 and it was a serious matter and he insisted to refer the matter to the committee. The chairman agreed to the point and referred the matter to the committee.

Minister of State for Defence Zahid Hamid said that it would be of no use of referring the matter to the court. As he was about to speak more in his opposition to the chairman’s decision, Mr Soomro asked him to let the committee review the matter as there was no harm in it.