The cited issue is regarding of shops in the area of Zangal Patai Refugee Camp of Dargai, the claimant of the land is a Pakistani citizen named as Shreen Khan S/O Sher Ahmed Resident of Khattko Shah Dargai. Actually this land belongs to his Father in law who had died and left two daughters and Shreen Khan S/O Sher Ahmed is the husband of one the daughter of the late person.
The issue has surfaced many times before but was resolved through ALAC Mardan Team meetings with the stakeholders, consensus and camp based Jirgas. However, the mentioned issue resurfaced again recently which resulted in serious situation. Moreover, the issue is about the rent of shops. The claimant demand rent from the shopkeepers and the refugees refused to pay rent to the person on the plea that this area fall in the jurisdiction of Camp which is taken on leased by Afghan Commissionerate from the owner and an agreement to this regard is also signed between the parties.
Similarly, Afghan Commissionerate is also making payment to the owners as per their agreement and therefore, the refugees are in no way responsible for payment. So far as the stance of the Shreen Khan S/O Sher Ahmed is concerned, he is of the opinion that that the shopkeepers will have to pay him rent on monthly basis as the Afghan Commissionerate has not paid them since long. Notwithstanding, there is also a recent agreement between Shreen Khan S/O Sher Ahmed and Dr. Noubahar S/O Zar Alam (Refugee Shopkeeper) under which the Refugee has accepted to pay him 500 monthly rent with the condition of renovation of shops by the Claimant Shreen Khan and the rest of the Refugee Shopkeepers didn’t accept this agreement and its terms conditions. They are of the view that is agreement is written under pressure and threats and also the signatory of the agreement (Noubahar) has the same view that he has signed this agreement under threats and pressure.
SHARP team Mardan intervened in the issue with the approval of Afghan Commissionerate District Administrator Mardan. In this perspective the Sharp team of Mardan held meetings with Dargai Police Station Officials along with District Administrator Mardan and RVA Zangal patai camp, dargai. The sharp team member argued that as these shops are situated in the camp area so the refugees are not liable to pay the rent of these shops.
The District Administrator also briefed them that as it is a designated camp formed by the CAR for registered refugees. So if they claim for the ownership of the land then they should come through proper channel from where he may get the compensation of his land. The local person was also present in the Police station along with a Nazim of local government. A comprehensive discussion reached to decision that RVA of the camp will give the said rent of the shops. But after some time of the decision the local person denied to accept the decision.
On next day Sharp team conducted a meeting with shura members of the camp and with DA for the above stated issue in the office of district administrator Mardan. A letter moved from DA office Mardan to the office of commissioner Malakand, AAC Dargai and SHO PS Dargai in which it is written clear that as it is a designated camp so if anyone is claiming for his ownership of the land then he should give an application to CAR for his land compensation and refugees are not liable to pay the rent of shops inside the camp jurisdiction, hence the issue resolved successfully and peacefully.
