DERA GHAZI KHAN, July 26: Residents of mauzas Patti Bhochari and Patti Toumi held a protest demonstration on Monday against the allotment of land to non resident farmers from Leghari tribe and Mujawars of Sakhi Sarwar under a provincial government's special scheme for landless farmers.

They held the demonstration on the arrival of their tribal chief, Zulfiqar Khosa, the Punjba PML-N president and a former governor. He arrived here specially to meet his 'aggrieved' tribesmen.

Speaking to the demonstrators at Patti Bhochari, Mr Khosa criticized the district administration and the government for allotments. He condemned the government for increasing the influence of Legharis in the Khosa dominated areas by allotment the land to the non resident farmers of adjoining mauzas.

He warned the district administration and the government of a tribal clash between the Legharis and the Khosas if the allotments were not cancelled. Meanwhile, allotment committee chairman Advocate Iqbal Saqib rejected the allegations of Mr Khosa.

He claimed that 550 people were selected for allotment of which 240 locals were allotted 300 lots (a lot comprises 12.5 acres of land) who qualified under the rules. The remaining were given land from adjoining mauzas.

A revenue department official told this scribe that the record showed that the local sardars had sold their barren lands to the Legharis which was contrary to the claims the Khosa tribal chief.