KARACHI(National Times)- The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to the Sindh government, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Faryal Taplur, former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain and others on a petition seeking cancellation of allotment of 19,600 acres of land for development of the Education City project in District Malir.

After a preliminary hearing, a two-judge constitutional bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon, issued notices the Sindh government, Taplur, Dr Asim, the chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the advocate general and other officials, and adjourned the hearing for four weeks.

The petitioner, Ghulam Akbar, submitted before the SHC that the Sindh government had allotted 9,600 acres of land in different dehs of District Malir, without conducting any inquiry, in the name of Dr Asim for development of the Education City project. However, he claimed that the project had not been developed to date.

He further said that the Sindh government had once again allotted an additional 10,000 acres of land in District Malir for the same purpose. The petitioner said that a total of 19,600 acres had effectively been allotted. He said the scheme was aimed at “usurping the precious land belonging to innocent people”.

The petition asked the court to pass order for cancellation of the allotment of the 19600 acres in the different Deh of Malir which was allegedly allotted in the name of Education City project.

He also sought policy direction and legislation, regarding the agricultural lands cultivated by local people, which were originally leased for periods ranging from 10 to 30 years.

These leases, he said, have not been renewed for a considerable time, leaving thousands of farmers in a state of uncertainty.

He proposed that a comprehensive policy and necessary legislation be introduced for the “extension and renewal of agricultural land leases, ensuring long-term tenure security for local farmers who depend on these lands for their livelihood.”