JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Hundreds of residential plots in the Police Town have been sold illegally in the eastern province of Nangarhar, public representatives claimed on Sunday.
Work on the 500-plot housing schemes, also known as Sherzai Town, in front of the Police Training Centre, was initiated eight years ago. But the project came to a halt at a time when policemen had already paid 30,000 afghanis for each plot.
Police officials in Nangarhar allegedly embezzled funds and sold out hundreds of plots illegally, the deputy head of the provincial council, Lal Mohammad Durrani, told Pajhwok Afghan News.
“An officialat the police headquarters is directly involved in embezzlement and others might also be complicit in stopping the work on this project,” he believed, asking for a high-level probe.
Without naming anybody, he promised issuing a list of all those involved in irregularities on the project.
Massive corruption had been committed in the Police Town, according to the provincial council secretary, Zabihullah Zmaray, who urged the government and the chief executive officer to follow the land-grab issue in the province.
The police headquarters declined commenting, but one police official said on condition of anonymity: “We have paid 30,000 afs each to the government years ago. However, we are yet to be allocated plots.”
A committee had been constituted to investigate the allegations and other related issues in the province, Governor Saleem Khan Kunduzi said.
“We will share with the president whatever irregularities are unearthed. We are currently investigating anomalies in the Qasimabad Town and will start probing other schemes as well,” he commented.
“Dozens of displaced families are currently living in the Police Town,” Jalalabad Mayor Hamidullah Afghan said, adding they had issued property ownership documents to the applicants introduced by the police headquarters.
“High-level commissions be assigned with investigating the issue and we would extend all possible cooperation to investigators,” the governor concluded.
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