Human Rights Watch reported on Tuesday that Pakistani authorities are muscling thousands of farmers near the city of Lahore to evict in connection with a massive structure design. Governments need to reform colonial laws that protect the environment and give governments broad powers to acquire land for private and public use .
In August 2020 , then – Prime Minister Imran Khan launched an urban development project on the banks of the Ravi River , which he said would solve Lahore’s many problems , including pollution , sewage , water supply , housing and employment , and bring back ” lost ” areas . Glory ” . The PKR 5 trillion ( US $ 7 billion at the time of writing ) government project spans over 100,000 acres along the Ravi River in Punjab Province and is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Pakistan . It claims to be the largest coastal city in the world .
HRW spoke with 14 local farmers who said they had recently been evicted or threatened with eviction by local authorities in Punjab , Pakistan , in connection with an urban development project on the banks of the Ravi River . Patricia Gossman , deputy director for HRW Asia , urged the Pakistani government to ” minimize evictions and loss of income ” from evictions .
A 60 – year – old farmer whose land was confiscated said , ” The government says they’re going to build a new city , so why would building a new city destroy the city and the lives we already have? ” Another farmer said the government has replaced the fertile land with forests that can feed not only the farmers but the entire city of Lahore .”
Since the project was announced in 2020 , ” more than 100 farmers ” have been accused of giving up their land. People in the river region are heavily dependent on agriculture and are concerned about increasing poverty due to evictions .
Authorities in Punjab ( Pakistan’s Punjab ) are harassing local farmers and threatening to strip them of their homes and livelihoods. Authorities must ensure that government projects minimize population displacement and loss of income , as well as minimize environmental damage and flood risk, said Patricia Gossman Deputy Asia Director of the Humanitarian Division.
He also appended” Pakistani authorities must reform the ordinances in the region to make them fair, transparent and in line with Pakistan’s transnational scores.”
Farmers who resist the authorities face threats and fines , the regulator said . Environmental groups worry that the project will alter water flow , which could ” significantly increase the risk of flooding ” .
By: Muskan kumari, BBA LL.B (8 sem) from THE ICFAI UNIVERSITY, RANCHI, JHARKHAND
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