LAHORE - The Punjab Industries Department has moved a summary to chief minister urgently seeking Rs7 billion for the acquisition of land for the establishment of an industrial estate in Faisalabad despite having a large piece of land suitable for the project.
The Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC), a public-private partnership entity, has planned to establish Allama Iqbal Industrial Estate (AIIE) over an area of 2,789 acres in Tehsil Chak Jhumra, District Faisalabad.
The FIEDMC had been tasked to establish the Value Added City (VAC) and M-3 Industrial City on the Lahore-Faisalabad Motorway (M-3) with the funding of the Punjab government.
The M-3 Industrial City claimed to be the largest industrial estate in Pakistan on the Motorway and the project has been approved under the CPEC.
Faisalabad District Collector has already issued a notification under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894 on Feb 1, 2018, for the acquisition of land for the CPEC project.
Since funds are urgently required for acquisition of land to develop Allama Iqbal Industrial Estate, it is proposed that funds amounting to Rs7 billion may be released during the current financial year 2017-18.
The proposal is submitted to the chief minister for approval and for permission to place the same before the Standing Committee of the Cabinet on Finance & Development for consideration.
The land is likely to be taken by the government for Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) and the land will be acquired at public expenses for a public purpose namely establishment of Allama Iqbal Industrial Estate in Chak No. 134/RB 136/RB 144/RB 152/RB Tehsil Chak Jhumra, District Faisalabad.
Moreover, a notification has been issued under the provisions of Section-4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 to all concerned.
In exercise of the power conferred by the aforesaid section, the District Collector, Faisalabad would survey any land in the locality and do other acts required or permitted by the said section.
Documents further say that any person who has an objection to the acquisition of any land in the locality may within 30 days of the publication of this notification file his concerns in writing before the District Collector, Faisalabad.
Moreover, the plan of the land may be inspected in the office of the Land Acquisition Collector FIEDMC. Interestingly, the Punjab government, during a former regime, had acquired some 4,400 acres of land to establish an industrial estate on the Motorway.
Only, as the sources claimed, one-fifth of that estate could be utilized so far while rest of the industrial area is lying vacant.
The Council of Common Interests (CCI) has also directed the provinces to establish their special economic zones under the CPEC.
When contacted why the Punjab government wanted to acquire land on Lahore Faisalabad Motorway while a large area had already been purchased during the Pervaiz Elahi era, the Punjab government spokesperson Malik Ahmad Khan didn't reply despite repeated attempts.
The FIEDMC had a couple of years ago reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) for establishing a duty-free export estate in Faisalabad.
Moreover, the concept of the VAC was to promote medium and small size industrial units in it.
The FIEDMC had also claimed to attract overseas Pakistani investors in the zone.
A company official on anonymity expressed concern over the method of price fixation by the Board of Revenue. He said that the board didn't bother to follow the legal procedure while assessing the land rates. However, he refused to comment on acquiring of lands despite the fact that company had already ample area to establish industrial units on the Motorway.
