Lahore: Lahore High Court on Tuesday suspended work on the Lahore Master Plan 2050 launched by the Lahore Development Authority. The court issued notices to the Punjab chief secretary, LDA DG, environment secretary and other parties seeking replies from them. LHC Justice Shahid Karim heard a petition filed by a citizen, Mian Abdul Rehman. Advocate Shahzad Shaukat appeared before the court on behalf of the petitioner.

Justice Karim expressed his exasperation over the initiation of several mega projects simultaneously in Lahore. “The citizens of Lahore are being killed. They find it hard to breathe. The provincial government is not showing its interest in controlling smog in Lahore,” the judge remarked. Advocate Shahzad said that Lahore’s agricultural land was declared as an urban area without any reason. He said that the developer mafia was involved in getting this plan approved by the LDA. The vicinities which have been declared ‘urban areas’, the developer mafia has already bought them, the lawyer added.

He said it would cause an irreparable damage to the environment if the agricultural area was declared an urban vicinity. He requested the court to declare the LDA’s Lahore Master Plan, 2050 null and void and order the authorities to stop executing the plan till the final decision of the court. Punjab Additional Advocate General Ali Tipu opposed the petition saying that it was not maintainable.