ISLAMABAD – The Punjab government has moved to the Supreme court after Lahore High Court (LHC) declared the multi-billion-dollar River Ravi Urban Development Project illegal.
Reports in local media said the provincial administration approached the apex court seeking the suspension of the Lahore High Court’s order, which declared the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RRUDP) as ‘illegal and unconstitutional’.
Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan will take up the matter today (Thursday) in a two-member bench as the top court withdrew its interim order for the restoration of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA).
Earlier, Supreme Court, while dealing with the appeals of the Punjab government, remarked that the case against the interim order of the Lahore High Court regarding the suspension of RUDA said that the interim order has been incorporated in the final decision under the law.
It also added that appeals against the interim order have become ineffective in light of the final decision.
Meanwhile, the lawyer representing Ravi Urban Development Authority sought two weeks from the top court to review the high court order. To this, Justice Ijaz stated that the LHC had already given its verdict and there was no point in extending the matter.
“If you want to raise legal issues, raise them in an appeal against the decision”, the court further added.
On Tuesday, the Lahore High Court scrapped the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project, which was launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan, by declaring several provisions of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda) Act 2020 unconstitutional.
Justice Shahid Karim declared the acquisition of agricultural land for the project unconstitutional and in violation of the fundamental rights of citizens.
Section 4 of the Ruda Act 2020 was in violation of Article 140-A of the Constitution, which deals with the formation of local governments, the court ruled.
