Kabal-(Staff Reporter): In a report from Dawn published on November 4, 2024, misleading claims about a land dispute in Kabal, Swat, have led to notable unrest among locals.
The report alleged that a jirga, organized by local politicians, asserted that the military was attempting to acquire land for expanding a cantonment, with locals supposedly resisting the move.
However, security sources clarified that the Cantonment Board, in cooperation with the Survey of Pakistan, is merely performing a routine annual survey of existing cantonment land in Kabal. This survey is intended solely to update current land records and does not involve any acquisition of new land.
The controversy stemmed from an October 27 meeting, led by a former councilor and a PTI MPA, which reportedly misrepresented the situation, claiming the military sought civilian land for cantonment expansion. Security officials emphasized that the military has legally held 995 acres in Swat since before 1947, with an additional 673 acres acquired in 2016 for military purposes in various parts of the area.
Following the jirga, the Cantonment Board’s CEO, alongside local military authorities, visited the Deputy Commissioner’s office to clarify the issue for public representatives, assuring them that no cantonment expansion was in progress. Additionally, an assistant commissioner met with community elders to inform them of the actual circumstances.
Security sources criticized Dawn for circulating unverified information, arguing that such reporting damages journalistic credibility and escalates community tensions.
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