Landowner says graves were built for public convenience, not as a commercial venture; each grave priced at Rs125,000
KOHAT, September 24, 2026 : An unusual private initiative to address an alleged shortage of burial space has emerged in Parachinar, the district headquarters and main city of Kurram district, where a local tribal resident has constructed 123 permanent concrete graves on around 11 marlas of commercial land adjoining the Iranian Agha Cemetery in the northern part of the city, offering them for burial at a fixed price.
According to local media reports and sources, each completed grave has been priced at Rs125,000, with all 123 graves constructed and kept ready for burial.
Speaking to this correspondent, the landowner, identified as Nasir, said the initiative was not undertaken as a commercial venture but to facilitate local residents facing difficulties in finding burial space due to the city’s growing population and limited capacity of existing cemeteries.
Nasir said he had undertaken a similar initiative several years ago, when he constructed more than 500 graves and provided them to families in need.
Explaining the price of each grave, he said the amount included the cost of the land, excavation and plain cement concrete (PCC) construction.
He added that a boundary wall would also be constructed around the cemetery premises for security and protection. According to him, the land is transferable, and those wishing to do so would be able to have the property transferred in their name in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Nasir said the initiative was prompted by the difficulties faced by residents in securing suitable burial space in Parachinar and was intended to provide a privately arranged option for families in need of a place for burial.
The unusual initiative has triggered a mixed reaction among local residents. Some welcomed the effort, saying that privately providing burial space could offer a practical response to the immediate shortage, particularly as existing cemeteries face increasing pressure from population growth.
Others, however, said the provision of graveyard land should also be addressed as a public and civic responsibility through long-term government planning.
Some residents pointed out that considerable stretches of barren and uninhabited land are reportedly available in areas surrounding Parachinar and suggested that the government could allocate suitable land for cemeteries instead of leaving families to seek burial space through private arrangements.
Public circles have urged the district administration and relevant authorities to assess Parachinar’s future burial needs and allocate adequate land for cemeteries on a permanent basis.
They said accessible and dignified burial facilities were an essential community requirement and called for a sustainable solution that would ensure residents do not face difficulties in securing burial space in the future.
