Kabul residents rally for compensation

KABUL): Hundreds of residents of the Char Dehi locality of Kabul staged a protest on Saturday, seeking compensation for the losses they suffered due to the expansion of a road in their area.

The Kabul Municipality destroyed houses of and shops on both sides of the 60-metre-wide road in Char Qala and Ali Mardan areas three years ago, but the government is yet to embark on the expansion work.

The protestors, who gathered in the area at around 9:30am, closed a busy road linking the Dar-ul-Aman neighbourhood with Kota-i-Sangi for two hours.

One of the protestors, Mohammad Din, told Pajhwok Afghan News the municipality destroyed 500 houses on both sides of the road three years ago, but it was yet to compensate the affected people.

“We have since been living in rented houses,” he complained, accusing the authorities of failing to meet their commitments and mitigate the plight of hundreds of families.

A butcher in the area, Ramin, also lashed out at the municipality for cheating the people by promising the construction of the road. But the project has not been launched despite the passage of several years.

A spokesman for the municipality said Turkey had committed to asphalting the road, but the work was yet to start due to lack of cooperation by area people.

Subsequently, funds for the project had lapsed, said Abdul Qadar Arzu, who added they were trying to convince the Turkish embassy to re-allocate the funding.

myn/mud

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