{"id":9857,"date":"2025-05-13T13:13:58","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T13:13:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/?p=9857"},"modified":"2025-05-13T13:13:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T13:13:58","slug":"urgent-action-needed-to-protect-farmers-in-derek-abad-kot-addu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcp-web.org\/hrcpweb\/urgent-action-needed-to-protect-farmers-in-derek-abad-kot-addu\/","title":{"rendered":"Urgent action needed to protect farmers in Derek Abad, Kot Addu"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press release<\/p>\n

Urgent action needed to protect farmers in Derek Abad, Kot Addu<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lahore, 13 May 2025<\/em>. An HRCP fact-finding mission, carried out earlier in March, has called attention to the alleged injustice and neglect faced by small farmers in Derek Abad, Kot Addu, many of whom belong to the Christian community and are now being evicted by local land mafias. The mission was conducted in response to a complaint received from the pastor of Church Derek Abad, who alleged that local land grabbers were attempting to deprive the Christian community of land to which the latter had a legitimate claim, which amounted to faith-based discrimination.<\/p>\n

The mission has found an alarming rise in land grabbing by local land mafias and a consistent failure by the state to uphold court rulings that protect these vulnerable farmers. These include a 1983 directive from the Punjab Board of Revenue, which recognizes the community\u2019s right to the agricultural land they farm. Similarly, a 1995 directive from the deputy commissioner of Muzaffargarh\u2019s office states that nine chaks (547, 548, 552, and 584 to 589) were in the possession of the Christian community, contingent on the settlement of arrears, which have reportedly since been paid. The farmers informed the mission that their writ petition was pending in the Lahore High Court, which had issued a stay order to prevent any evictions.<\/p>\n

Farmers who spoke to the mission said they were still awaiting land allotment letters, following judgments in their favour. HRCP is concerned that in the absence of such documentation, these farmers will lose the little land they currently cultivate. This would leave them vulnerable to forced displacement and without a source of income, increasing their risk of falling deeper into poverty.<\/p>\n

HRCP urges the Punjab government to probe the matter immediately and issue land allotment letters to all eligible farmers in Derek Abad. The government must also take decisive legal action against land mafias and individuals involved in unlawful evictions and provide urgent protection to the affected families to ensure that they can live and work without fear of reprisal. As Christians, this community is doubly vulnerable and deserves recognition, legal protection and restitution for decades of state neglect.<\/p>\n

Asad Iqbal Butt
\nChairperson<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>