First there was Bundle island. Imran Khan claimed that through the island’s development, Pakistan could earn billions in revenue, provide employment to the people of Sindh and also earn foreign exchange reserves. The environmentalists said the proposed real estate project would trigger an environmental disaster. The Sindh government did not allow the federal government to initiate the project .
Then came Federal Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi’s so-called Karachi Coastal Comprehensive Development Zone (KCCDZ) project to be established on KPT’s reclaimed land. Zaidi promised the foreign funded $3.5 billion plan envisaging new berths for port, a new fishery port, a harbour bridge to unlock Pakistan’s Blue Economy. The out-of-the-blue project, called by the federal government a game-changer for Pakistan, simply evaporated into thin air.
Now the Lahore High Court has scrapped the Ravi Riverfront Project by declaring several provisions of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda) Act 2020 unconstitutional. The project was being presented by the govt as Pakistan’s answer to Dubai, a brand new multi-trillion-rupee development of towering skyscrapers, futuristic domes and floating walkways. There were claims that the project had attracted $8 billion in foreign investments.
Right from the beginning the project, which commanded 85 percent prize agricultural land in its area, faced accusations of rampant land grabs leading to the eviction of hundreds of thousands of farmers who could never afford to live in the modern urban utopia which would benefit land developers.
There were a number of petitions in the LHC challenging the forcible acquisition of land through the Ruda Act. Some of the petitioners also questioned the legality of the environment impact assessment of the project, prepared by a non-registered consultant.
The LHC declared the acquisition of agricultural land for the project unconstitutional and in violation of the fundamental rights of citizens. It was also ruled that any scheme established without a master plan is unconstitutional.
While the government is likely to go into appeal before the Supreme Court, its failure to prepare a master plan, give due consideration to environmental concerns and indecent haste to evacuate the farmers have already done a lot of harm. Tens of thousands of people have been uprooted. The foreign investors feel betrayed and are likely to hesitate to do business in the country on account of the government’s lack of competence in planning its development projects.
