THE Orange Line train project is proving to be more difficult to implement than anything the Shahbaz Sharif set-up has deemed fit for Lahore in recent years. The voices are getting louder even as the Punjab government brooks little opposition and pounces upon whoever appears to offer the slightest sign of resistance. On Friday, the redoubtable minister Rana Sanaullah rose on the floor of the provincial assembly to counter with typical force the objections made by the leader of the tiny opposition in the house, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed of the PTI. Mr Rasheed reiterated how the project could be disastrous for some historical buildings, and if these were not worth saving, then there were people who had their homes on the line. He said the train lacked the sanction of the Punjab Assembly — one elected body whose blessings could have been sought in the absence of a local government. Mr Sanaullah vehemently responded that no rules had been broken and that it was impossible for the opposition to prove their case constitutionally.

It appears that all governments jealously guard their development projects, especially those very proud of their feats. Unfortunately, there has been little room for debate in this case as the Punjab government sets out to fight those it identifies as troublemakers blocking the orange train and not just your ordinary dissenters in a democratic order. More recently, there have been violent demonstrations by people who have their houses on the train’s route. These cries of anguish have been responded to officially with an assurance that those who lose their houses will be compensated. Full stop. Just as these promises fail to calm fears among those affected by the advancing train, the effort by the project’s opponents to sugar-coat their criticism — by referring to some grand achievements of Shahbaz Sharif — has had little effect on the government. In the event, where a dialogue aimed towards a resolution of the problem fails to take place, it once again comes down to the court’s resolving the issue. Last week, the Lahore High Court stayed the work on the train line within a 200-metre radius of 11 heritage sites and fixed the next hearing for Feb 4. Failing to convince the government on its own, civil society will be hoping for some permanent relief by the court. And it must have the support of all those wary of one-dimensional development initiated without a proper exercise in understanding popular priorities.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2016