KARAK: The people of Sanda Khurram, Faqiri Banda and other localities here on Saturday took out a rally to demand increase in price of their agricultural lands being acquired for construction of a proposed oil refinery.

The protesters, including women, were led by Maulana Maqsood Gul, Munawar Shah and general councillors Shahidullah and Mohammad Younas. They marched from different villages and blocked the road near Sanda Khurram.

The speakers complained that the oil refinery was being built on their fertile lands, but the revenue department officials showed the lands as barren.

They said they should be paid price of cultivable lands.

They clarified that they were not against the construction of oil refinery in the area but its construction on their agricultural lands without paying them due rates was injustice with the locals.

They complained that Banda Daud Shah tehsildar had showed their precious lands as barren in the official documents and said on the basis of assessment of revenue department the prices of their lands had been decreased remarkably.

The speakers resolved to move court against the injustices being meted out to them. They complained that the oil and gas companies working in the area were already offering very nominal rates to the local landowners.

They asked the provincial government that if it was not ready to pay them the market price of their lands then it should build the oil refinery on barren lands.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2018