The city in question

January 12, 2014

The city in question

With focus on the textile industry and efforts to boost garments exports by securing GSP plus status in the European Markets, the Punjab government has come up with a plan to set up a garments city -- an industrial zone in Sheikhupura to encourage local and international textile investors.

The government has also invited Chinese investors to plan their garments and textile units there. The proposed garments city site mostly comprises of fertile agriculture land with green pastures of paddy, wheat, and some dairy farms which the government has started acquiring without consulting with the stakeholders who consider this piece of land as the backbone of local agriculture.

The acquisition of this 1475 acre piece of land -- comprising of three villages’ agriculture land, two big residential areas, and many small and big dairy farms -- started last month.

That left the residents of the area with the only option of moving the Lahore High Court. They have prayed to the court to shift this proposed city elsewhere, preferably on a barren piece of land to save agriculture.

Under the Land Acquisition Act 1894, the government has the authority to acquire any land when and if required. The affectees have the right to move the court. The villages that would be dislocated due to this proposed garments city site are: Mauza Bhamb and Mauza Sahoo Kee Maliyan.

The LHC, last Friday, temporarily stopped the Punjab government and others from the land acquisition for the Garments City, Sheikhupura. "There are some 30 small and big farms in the village and adjacent areas, with more than 2,300 cattle-heads and produce of over 130,000 litres of milk monthly on an average. There are some fish farms too," informs Nisar Virk, one of the affectees and president of the association of the affectees who have moved the court.

He says the land provides for the agriculture needs of the district. "The government can go to any laboratory to take the soil samples," he says, adding that food security is equally important for the economy and the people. "This fertile land is the backbone of the district’s agriculture. The livelihood of thousands of people of this area depends on this land," he maintains.

Virk says one dairy farm has been set up in the area just three years ago with the investment of around 300 million. Also, collectively, these farms have been providing employment to a large number of villagers, enabling them to earn their livelihood.

Ironically, most of the victims voted the PML-N in the last elections. The Anjuman Mutasereen-i-Garment City has also staged many demonstrations against forced displacement. He says the project should be set up at a barren land. He also appeals to the government to utilise the already set-up and under- utilised industrial sites in Lahore, Faisalabad, and Rahim Yar Khan which, according to them, have ample space to manage the plan.

The act of going to the court by the farmers has stirred up a debate in the court about the priorities of the government in a country where the economy is already declining and more than 50 percent of the population is facing food security threat.

"If you count, the agriculture’s GDP share is more than 60 percent in human resources engagement," says Abid Qaiyum Suleri, executive director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad. "It is very good to improve the economy and make industrial zones but it should not be at the cost of a fertile piece of land," he adds. He agrees with the notion that "the government’s preference should be to use a barren piece of land, which is available at places along the Motorway. He believes food security is going to be a major issue in view of the rising population.

In November 2013, Pakistan’s National Nutrition Survey showed that about 60 per cent of Pakistan’s total population is facing food insecurity, and in these households, almost 50 per cent women and children are malnourished.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Pakistan’s economy, contributing 21 per cent of the country’s GDP and employing 45 per cent of the labour force, according to the United Nations’ report.

Secretary Industry, Department of the Punjab government, Arif Ali, however, has a different view, saying economy is of utmost importance. He believes that after the GSP plus status and setting up of the garment city there will be job opportunities for up to 27,000 people.

He says setting up this city near Lahore is important because most of the related skilled labour is from the nearby areas. "We do understand the importance of agriculture but such projects will boost the economy and generate employment opportunities. What is more important is the yield per acre and not just the crop." Ali assures that the affected people will be compensated according to the rules and regulations and the government will defend its case in the court.

The city in question