Garments city: LHC stays land acquisition

government lacked the authority to enter into an agreement with the company until an inquiry was held, said counsel.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Friday restrained the government from proceeding with land acquisition for a garments city in Sheikhupura.

Justice Ayesha Malik passed the order on a petition filed by an association of the effected. The court sought record of the agreement between the government and the Punjab Industrial Estate and Management Company (PIE&MC) and adjourned the matter till January 6.

Petitioner’s counsel Dr Ahmed Basit said 1,475 acre land was being acquired for the garments city in Sheikhupura. He said the government had issued two notifications under Section 4 of Land Acquisition Act 1894 to initiate the acquisition process. He said the acquisition was being undertaken for private use for PIE&MC.

The counsel said the government lacked the authority to enter into an agreement with the company until an inquiry was held. A provincial law officer said the petition was not maintainable as the petitioner association was not registered.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2014.