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Army accused of grabbing 53 acres of forest land in Murree](The News International: Latest News Breaking, World, Entertainment, Royal News)
By Umar Cheema
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army has allegedly illegally occupied over 53 acres of forest land in Bhurban (Murree) with a major chunk being used for commercial purposes, thus sparking tension between two departments.
The chief conservator of forests (northern zone) has written a letter to the provincial secretary, asking him to take up the matter with the Punjab chief minister so as to direct the Army authorities to vacate this huge area.
Details provided in the letter about the alleged illegal occupation of land by the Army authorities portray a sad state of affairs. The DG ISPR has so far not made comments on these allegations of the Forest Department. When approached late on Saturday for comments, he said he should be contacted on Monday. When contacted again on Monday noon, he asked this correspondent to ring at 5 pm. He, however, was not available for comments when he was contacted a number of times.
The secretary Chinar Golf Club Bhurban, a colonel, who is considered privy to the development, refused to comment when contacted. He said he was not authorised to speak on the issue.
Dr Muhammad Arshad, chief conservator, when contacted to verify the contents of the letter he wrote to his secretary, confirmed the report and accused the Army of illegally occupying more than 53 acres forest land. He also disclosed that his department officials, who tried to stop the illegal construction being made by the Army contractors, faced threats of dismissal from their jobs.
Arshad said a number of letters have been written to the Army authorities with the last one dispatched to the Quarter Master General but to no avail. He said the land under the Army’s occupation, including that housing Chinar Golf Club, is illegal.
According to him, the Army initially had acquired around 16 acres of land in 1960 when it was given on lease at a rate of Rs 100 per acre. The lease agreement was for 30 years and expired on August 11, 1990 and since then neither the lease has been renewed nor the land has been vacated. The Army instead illegally occupied more land. Now it has more than 53 acres forest land under its occupation, Arshad said.
He said the Army has already constructed 11 residential huts on the land while it is constructing 12 additional huts named Luxury Resorts for commercial purposes where the facilities of a four-star hotel are provided to the visitors.
His letter (copy of which is available with The News) sent on June 25, 2007 to the provincial secretary requesting him to take up the matter, contains all details. “The Conservator of Forests Coordination, Rawalpindi has reported that the Divisional Forest Officer, Murree has visited the site in Chinar Golf Club Bhurban. In spite of repeated requests to the Army authorities, they are carrying out illegal construction of 12 additional residential huts and a hiking track measuring 1500’X3’ forcibly and in spite of the requests by forest staff, they are not ready to stop the work. During construction work, they have damaged 5 Kail poles dia 4”X5” and there is apprehension of further damage to forest crop during the construction process,” stated the letter.
“Previously Army authorities constructed 11 residential huts on the forestland under their possession. They are using these huts commercially where allied facilities of a four star hotel are being provided to the visitors. This is a serious violation of the terms and conditions of lease agreement drawn between the government and the army authorities. The agreement ended on 11th August 1990 and now the occupation or any activity carried on this forestland by the army authorities is absolutely illegal,” the letter further said.
“It has further been reported that on 5-6-2007 when Block Officer Bhurban along with his staff tried to stop the construction work being carried out by the labour of the Army contractors, the Army authorities of 12-Div Murree showed anger and resentment over the same. Under these circumstances, it is not possible to get the area of Chinar Golf Club vacated or stop the construction activities over there,” reads the letter.
At the end, the chief conservator has proposed to the secretary that the issue should be taken up with the CM Punjab. “In view of above, kindly take up the matter with the competent authority to direct the army authorities to vacate the area and stop construction activities,” the letter concluded.
This is becoming so routine now..I am not even sure if its worth reporting anymore. :no: