The challenges of deed registration in Khost City District 5, Afghanistan

Abstract

Afghanistan witnessed rapid urbanization in recent decades due to the post-war recovery process. When the war ended in 2001 after the fall of the Taliban regime, most Afghan refugees returned back to urban areas of Afghanistan including Khost city. Moreover, the rapid urbanization, migration from rural areas, neighbouring provinces, and population growth impacted Khost city with the manifestation of informal settlement. Informal settlement in Khost city refers to the housing and settlement which built up in violation of the master plan of Kabul city. The problems of the unregistered lands are considerable challenges to the residents who build houses in unplanned areas and the government. Thus, this research aims to investigate the process of deed issuance for the improvement of the unregistered land in District 5 of Khost city. In order to reach the aim of the research, a field survey interview has been conducted with 11 Afghan government officials, and 35 property developers, and a questionnaire survey has been achieved with 135 residents of District 5 of Khost city. The gathered data includes both qualitative data and quantitative data. The content analysis has been used to analyse qualitative data, and the frequency analysis has been used to analyse quantitative data. The finding on the made problems posed by unregistered land in district 5 of Khost city is the undetermined authority for deed distributing, non-registration of land, and loss of deeds in four decades of USSR invasion and civil war, Moreover, different factors led to the growth of unregistered land are the rapid increase of population, the influence of local and high-ranked officials’ usurpers, and limited capacity of government. Finally, through the resident’s preferences, government capacity, and District 5 physical condition, the research suggests that only a unit authority can be used for the improvement of unregistered land in district 5 Khost but throughout the country which is deed issuing is the only option for deed issuance, and the court should just minor role in the deed issuance or it means the verification of the deed can take from the court. This research is essential and has significance for the government of Afghanistan and the residents who built the house on unregistered land, by enhancing the information and awareness of the government officials regarding the need, preferences, and most problems of informal settlements on the land.