Usurped Public Lands Will Be Reclaimed, Insists President Ghani

President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday said that the government will “legally” distribute lands to all its citizens, insisting that he will reclaim all usurped public lands from land-grabbers.  

Speaking during inauguration ceremony of Institutional Development Programme for Land Administration held in the Presidential Palace (ARG) on Thursday, Ghani said public treasury belongs to the entire nation and it cannot be consumed for personal interests.

“Close to five million Afghans are living outside of the country, they should return and lands should be distributed to them, and will establish a land bank in regard,” he said.

The president added the government is committed to ensuring safety of public properties. He said lands in Afghanistan have worth millions of dollar, if well managed. 

According to the president, there are about one billion acres of usurped lands across the country.

Meanwhile, Jawad Paikar, the head of Afghanistan Land Authority, said that more than 400,000 acres of land have been reclaimed since last three years.

Paikar added that the authority is seeking to ease land problems by implementing new methods and mechanism in issuing legal documents for land owners and establishing land bank in the country.