[Presenter] Residents of Sherpor area, Kabul city, say the fact that some of them have not paid for their land is a legal issue but not a penal matter, so it has nothing to do with the attorney-general' s office. They say the issue is under review by the Supreme Court.

However, Attorney-General Abdol Jabar Sabit says he is acting in line with the law and that he will lock up the houses of those who refuse to pay by the end of Qows [21 December].

[Correspondent] A number of residents of Sherpor describe recent remarks by the attorney-general as illegal, saying that the issue is being reviewed by the Supreme Court. They say the issue has nothing to do with to the attorney-general' s office until the court makes a decision.

According to the residents, the Council of Ministers put the prices up after the transaction was completed and they had paid the money and got ownership documents. They say they will not pay any more money unless the issue is addressed by the court.

[Taj Mohammad Mojahid, a resident of Sherpor] We cannot be called non-compliant until we are happy with the deal. We are still negotiating with the government over the increase in the prices. We have not yet reached agreement. We cannot be called non-compliant until the negotiations are over and we agree to pay the prices demanded.

[Another local resident] We handed over our weapons to our government. It is the central government and the government of all tribes. We have supported and will continue to support it, but we do not allow the attorney-general to call us usurpers.

[Correspondent] The attorney-general says those who have not paid yet are usurpers and he will lock up their houses if they do not pay within a few days. He says he will not accept any excuses.

[Abdol Jabar Sabit] It is a penal issue because they have seized government property. Seizing means someone takes your property, says he will not pay and tells you do to do whatever you like. Seizing government property is a penal issue. It is not a legal or civil issue.

Even if they have paid for land in the past, the Sherpor residential project was in fact a conspiracy against the nation. It was a plot against the people of Afghanistan. It was a plot. They seized land plots in Sherpor area, which should not even have been dug up.

[Correspondent] The attorney-general says Sherpor area, which should not have been dug up, was distributed to some people in exchange for a specific amount of money.

Four years ago, in spite of criticisms by local residents, Sherpor area was distributed to a number of government officials and their relatives by Kabul Municipal Council with the approval of the president.

Via BBC Monitoring