ISLAMABAD – January 28 (ONLINE): Prime Minister Imran Khan said Friday that government would challenge in Supreme Court of Pakistan the ruling of Lahore High Court in which the later ordered to scrap the Ravi Riv¬er¬front Urban Development Project.
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday had scrapped the much-celebrated Ravi Riv¬er¬front Urban Develop¬ment Project of the government by declaring several provisions of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda) Act 2020 unconstitutional.
“I am standing at the site where government has planned a whole new city, which will be the first after Islamabad in country’s history” the premier said, as he visited the site of the project earlier Friday as part of a one-day trip to Lahore.
“Let me tell you the aim behind this project. Firstly, [the project is] imperative because the way Lahore is expanding, foremost problem will be the low water levels across the city” he said, while addressing nation through a video message.
“River Ravi is shrinking and will soon become a sewerage drain,” he said, gesturing towards the water behind him.
He said that even if the modern Ravi city was not constructed, Lahore was well on its way to expanding up to this point. “Unplanned housing societies are being constructed […] they have no concept of a sewerage system or water treatment plants,” he lamented.
The premier stated that he respected the judiciary, but the government did not effectively plead its case in front of the LHC. “We will plead our case in front of the Supreme Court.”
The prime minister also dispelled the impression that housing societies were being built under the project, stating that a new city was being developed.
“It will be a modern city which will be constructed at par with Dubai and Malaysia and will expand vertically.”
Addressing the nation, the premier said that such cities were the need of the hour due to the rate of population growth. “If cities continue to expand, we will not be able to address pollution, waste disposal or provide people with essential amenities.”
He said that the government would present the detailed plan behind the project to the media so that the people could realise the significance of such a project.
The premier’s statement comes days after the high court scrapped the project by declaring several provisions of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda) Act 2020 unconstitutional.
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