Expensive graves make burials affordable in Pakistan

Some residents, such as Shaukat Bhatti said that graveyards were not short on space, but that powerful people reserving graves was the cause of the burial space scarcity, reported The Express Tribune.

Even if the going pricing for a cemetery is not an issue, which according to The Express Tribune is between Rs 25,000 and 50,000, locating a burial spot in the federal capital or its twin Rawalpindi is a problem for the residents. Many others said that it was an open secret that grave plots were sold to the highest bidder in every cemetery in the cantonment city.

Former Mayor of Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi, Sardar Naseem Khan, when inquired about the plight of Rawalpindi's citizens, stated that a new cemetery was being developed at Rakh Dhamial. "The problem of expensive graves in local cemeteries cannot be solved until the launch of new graveyards," he said.

While the search for a new graveyard continues, Muhammad Zakir discusses another agony that Rawalpindi residents face. "My grandfather's grave was in Shah Ki Talian graveyard but two years ago when I went to visit - a new grave had replaced it. A new nameplate had been installed and I have no idea what they did to my grandfather's remains," narrated Zakir.

Another Rawalpindi resident, Junaid Qazi, told what occurs when an ancient burial is replaced. "The bones and other remains are taken out and buried in a side corner of the cemetery and then this new grave is sold for a handsome amount," Qazi said.

In the capital, there are graveyard woes. While citizens of Islamabad did not disclose any incidents similar to those reported by Zakirs, Ajmal Qureshi, an Islamabad-based lawyer, complained about the exorbitant expense of burial in the city. The H-8 graveyard in the federal capital, which many people prefer, is the last resting place for many of Pakistan's famous political and bureaucratic personalities, including the late Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, who died earlier this year, reported the news portal.

"I buried my brother in the H-8 cemetery two months ago and I initially paid Rs 12,000 for the grave but later the diggers badgered me for more money," he lamented. Qureshi, echoing Bhatti's remarks about Rawalpindi, claimed that the powerful had it easy, but poor residents like him have a difficult time burying their loved ones at a cemetery like H-8.

Another local, Sohail Zaman, expressed similar dissatisfaction with the changing rate for common folks.