ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the NWFP government to facilitate investors in promoting industrialization in the province.

A three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Rana Bhagwandas and Justice Hamid Ali Mirza was hearing an appeal of industrialist Abdul Rauf against the NWFP government's decision to withdraw an allotted land after he established an industry on it.

"Earlier, the Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate proved a failure and now the NWFP government is creating hurdles for the investors of Hattar Industrial Estate," Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry observed while leading the bench.

The industrial sector is the backbone of a country's economy and, therefore, the government should facilitate a congenial environment for industrialization instead of frustrating the investors, he said.

Abdul Rauf was allotted a plot of 12.5 acres in Hattar Industrial Estate at the rate of Rs170,000 per acre in 1985. Later in 1990, the Sarhad Development Authority (SDA) allotted 140 acres to Dewan Salman group at a rate of Rs14,530 per acre.

Abdul Rauf, who had by then established his factory on the allotted land, wrote a letter to the then President Farooq Leghari inviting his attention towards the discriminatory allotment policies and variable rates of land in the Hattar Industrial Estate.

The SDA took serious notice of the complaint and cancelled the allotment made to Mr Rauf.

Mr Rauf filed a petition in the Peshawar High Court, which dismissed the case.

Later, he filed an appeal before the Supreme Court which sought a reply from the SDA.

His counsel Advocate Abdullah Khan Dogar said the allotted land was a barren area and his client had used the land by setting up an industrial empire but was being rewarded with cancellation of the allotment.

The court directed the appellant to submit a counter reply against the submission of the SDA and adjourned the proceedings till last week of this month.