Relatives of ex-senator say elements out to grab ancestral land

CHITRAL: The nephews of a former senator belonging to royal family on Friday alleged that a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was using his influence to put pressure on the administration to help their rivals capture their land in Chitral.

Speaking at a press conference, Colonel (retd) Sharifuddin and Shahzada Mohammad Shuja Riaz Burhanuddin alleged that US national Anwar Aman was constructing a hotel in Chitral city. They said they had reservations over the establishment of the hotel as it was being built on their land.

In 2012, an attempt was made to capture the land, but a court gave the decision in their favour, they said, adding, an attempt was also made to target his brother going to the court for hearing but he escaped unhurt.

He said that some elements, who held high government offices, used their power to capture the land where the hotel was being constructed.

The family also moved the court that granted them a stay order and stopped the work on the hotel. He said that Anwar Aman was the front-man of the land mafia. The land grabbers presented fake ownership documents in the court, he went on to add.

He asked the government to order a judicial probe into the matter and provide them justice. “Our rivals have unleashed a propaganda against us on social media and elsewhere,” said Col (retd) Sharifuddin and vowed to fight the case at all proper forums.