Pakistan Army likely to get control of 45,000 acres of agriculture land in Punjab

18 Jul, 2023

LAHORE - A Lahore High Court (LHC) divi­sion bench on Monday suspend­ed a single bench order that struck down a decision of the interim government to hand over 45,000 acres of land in three districts of Punjab to Pakistan Army on a 20-year lease.

The division bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, passed the orders while hearing an in­tra-court appeal, filed by the Pun­jab government against the single bench decision. The court also is­sued notices to the respondents on the appeal and sought a reply.

The interim government, through the appeal, had pleaded with the court to set aside the sin­gle bench order. The government submitted that the project was ini­tiated by the previous elected gov­ernment and not by the interim government. As per law, the inter­im government was empowered to implement or finalise any pending decision and policy of the previous government, it added. The govern­ment further contended that the court was not empowered to reg­ulate agricultural policies.

It submitted that the order of the single bench was not only in viola­tion of the law but also had contra­dictions in it.