LAHORE: Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issuing a stay order on petitions challenging land acquisition and construction of coal power plant near BRB Canal, referred the matter to chief justice with a request to form a full bench for hearing the matter.

The court observed that as many important law points had been raised through the petitions, therefore, the matter should be heard by a full bench.

The petitioners, including Muhammad Arshid and Sajid Mahmood, filed the petitions submitting that the concerned authorities had issued a notification for acquiring land near BRB Canal in Lahore for a coal power plant They submitted that the coal power plant was being constructed along residential areas.

“Coal based power plant would definitely cause air and water pollution in the area”, they added. They contended that the step was against Articles 23, 18, 9, 14 and 25 of the Constitution.

They pleaded the court to set aside the project.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2015

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