Govt to approach Supreme Court on Ravi Urban project: PM

Author: APP

SHEIKHUPURA, Jan 28 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said the government would invoke the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court after the High Court nullified the Ravi Urban Development Project.

Speaking to the media during his visit to Rakh Jhok forest, the prime minister said this time, the case would be presented in a better manner to appraise the Honourable Court about the significance of the project in view of urban development and civic facilities.

The prime minister said there was a misconception about the Ravi Urban project that it was a housing society. Instead, he said, the grand project aimed at correcting the faults in the wake of unplanned construction of the city.

He highlighted the salient features of the project including plantation of two billion trees as part of forestation, construction of barrages to up water table and filtration of sewerage.

He said the Rs 20 billion dollar project would provide employment and encourage foreign investment, adding that that already Rs 1.5 billion had been received in this regard.

Imran Khan said wealth creation would help run 40 affiliated industries.

“We need to set up new cities in view of the growing population, otherwise we will not be able to provide civic facilities to people,” he said.

He mentioned that Lahore in near future could face similar civic problems like Karachi as a result of unplanned urban development.

He regretted that the Sindh government did not allow construction at Bundal Island which was also a megaproject in line with the planned development of cities.