LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) ruled that the Punjab interim administration lacked a constitutional authority to transfer up to 1 million acres of state land to the Pakistan Army for corporate agro production.
The single-judge bench concluded in a 134-page decision issued on Wednesday that neither the caretaker government of Punjab nor the Pakistani armed forces were authorised by the constitution or the law to engage in corporate farming.
Justice Abid Hussain Chattha recommended in his ruling that any military land used for corporate farming be returned to the Punjab government and that the required measures be implemented to educate every member of the armed forces of their constitutional and legal obligations.
The court directed that the future elected government may resume the corporate agricultural farming (CAF) initiative after the stage of its conditional approval by the previous Elected Cabinet in its 51st meeting and proceed in accordance with law.
Additionally it said armed forces including the Pakistan army and / or its subordinate or attached departments / offices lack constitutional and legal mandate to indulge and participate in CAF initiative and policy in terms of Article 245 of the Constitution.
He ordered that a copy of the judgement be provided to the federal government, the minister of defence, the chiefs of the army, navy, and air staffs.
Earlier, Pakistan Army got vast lands in “joint venture” aimed at increasing the crop yield and ensuring food security. “The army will play a role at the management level to make the project a success story. However, ownership of the land will continue to stay with the provincial government. The military will not get any profit or share in the revenue to be mopped from corporate agriculture farming,” per reports.
Court restricts Punjab’s caretaker govt to hand over state lands to Pakistan Army for farming
