The Herat municipality said that nearly 70 percent of land which had been illegally grabbed was identified and some of it has been reclaimed.

According to the municipality, the construction of residential towns and gardens have slowed the process of reclaiming this land.

“We can say that between 60 to 70 percent of the property which was grabbed has been identified and the investigation is ongoing,” said Abdullah Akbari, head of the Herat municipality. 

Meanwhile, the residents of Herat called on officials to seriously investigate the land which has been grabbed by individuals.

“Either this is the land of the nation or the government, no one has the right to grab it arbitrarily,” said Najibullah, a resident of Herat.

“This is the property of the people, not of the powerful individuals,” said Abdul Qayom, a resident of Herat.

According to officials, the majority of this land was grabbed by powerful individuals and officials of former government.

“It is the best to follow up these types of cases seriously and immediately so the grabbed lands are reclaimed and become part of the national property,” said Mohammad Rafia Shaheer, head of the expert council of Herat.

According to the commission to reclaim grabbed land, at least 600,000 acres of land was taken illegally in Herat.