ISLAMABAD: A report published on November 4, 2024, inaccurately claimed that a jirga overseen by local politicians in Swat had refused to allocate land for the expansion of a military cantonment in Kabul, Swat.
Security sources clarified that the Cantonment Board, in collaboration with the Survey of Pakistan, had initiated a routine survey of the already established cantonment land in Kabul. This annual survey is conducted across all cantonments and their surroundings to ensure that the maps reflect the current ground realities.
Following news of the survey, on October 27, a former councilor and PTI MPA gathered local residents for a jirga, during which it was suggested that the Pakistan Army had acquired land owned by civilians for the existing cantonment.
However, security sources indicated that 995 acres of land in the Swat region was purchased for military use prior to 1947, and an additional 673 acres were acquired in 2016 for army purposes in Khwaja Khela, Shangla, and Kanju.
After the jirga, the CEO of the Cantonment Board, accompanied by local military officials, visited the office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Swat to inform public representatives that there were no plans to expand the cantonment. The assistant commissioner also met with local leaders to provide clarity on the situation.
Security sources have criticized the report for violating journalistic standards by presenting information without proper verification, emphasizing the importance of accurate reporting in such matters.
