Ravi project's case not presented properly in LHC: PM Imran Khan

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday announced that the government would challenge the Lahore High Court (LHC) decision on Ravi riverfront project in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, ARY NEWS reported.

The prime minister, who is visiting Lahore, said that the case was not presented in a proper manner before the Lahore High Court.

“We will appeal against the high court decision in the Supreme Court,” Imran Khan said while terming it the second planned city in the country after federal capital Islamabad.

He said that Ravi urban city is going to become a new city parallel to Lahore and will have 20 million trees to be grown in its surrounding in order to minimize the climate change impact.

“This will also save River Ravi through constructing multiple bridges besides treatment of sewerage water plants before its disposal,” he said.

Imran Khan said that the Ravi Urban city project is worth over US$20 billion and so far investments of US$1.5 billion has arrived in the project. Other than the investment, the prime minister said that 30 to 40 industries will also grow along with the project.

He lamented that the government also planned a new city for Karachi at Bundal Island, however, unfortunately, Sindh government created hurdles to foil the multi-billion-dollar initiative.

On Jan 25, the Lahore High Court (LHC) declared the procurement of land under section iv as unlawful in its decision on petitions against Ravi River Urban Project. The high court bench ruled that the schemes without master plan are unlawful and declared the section iv notification as void.

“Agriculture lands can be procured under a legal procedure,” the bench ruled and declared the Amended ordinance against Article 120 of the constitution. The environmental laws have been ignored in the Ravi River Urban Project, court said.

“The loans for the project have been borrowed illegally,” the bench said. The court also ordered setting environmental standards for the project.