Garment City: LHC directs government to submit report

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court directed the government on Tuesday to submit a report by the next hearing regarding plans to launch various projects in Lahore’s suburbs.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan was hearing the government’s application against a stay order issued by the court against acquisition of land by the Punjab government to establish a garment city in Sheikhupura. Justice Ayesha Malik of the LHC had earlier dismissed a set of petitions against acquisition of land by the government to establish the garment city.

The residents of the concerned area had said that the government was planning to build a commercial zone on agricultural land, instead of promoting agriculture. They said vegetables and fruits were out of poor citizens’ reach due to the government’s policy on the agriculture sector. They maintained that more employment opportunities could be created if the government started such projects in backward areas, instead of on agricultural land. They requested the court to maintain the stay order against acquisition of land by the government.  Advocate General Mustafa Ramday said the government had been acquiring land according to the rules. He said the Garment City project would benefit common people and the country’s economy. He requested the court to vacate the stay order, as a single bench of the court had already dismissed an identical petition.

The court asked the government the reasons for launching such a project in Lahore, rather than in backward areas. The court will take up the issue on January 31.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2014.