The caretaker Sindh government has recently sanctioned the allocation of over 52,000 acres of state land for corporate agriculture farming.
The caretaker govt’s decision includes the distribution of land across various regions: 28,000 acres in Khairpur, 10,000 in Mithi, 9,305 in Dadu, 3,408 in Sujawal, 1,000 in Thatta, and 1,000 in Badin. The land allotment is part of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) initiative to attract foreign investments into Pakistan.
In line with the directives of the chief secretary of Sindh, the provincial Land Utilization Department and the Board of Revenue have been working on identifying state land for corporate agriculture farming. The government has notified a Statement of Conditions under the Colonization of Government Lands Act 1912 to facilitate and regulate this process.
According to these conditions, government-owned land will be leased through an open auction for 20 years for purposes like agriculture, farming, and livestock research. The Sindh government is entitled to 33% of the profits from this project.
Controversies and Responses
The decision to lease state land has sparked controversy, especially with the suggested lease to the Pakistan army and a private company run by the military, Green Corporate Initiative Pvt Ltd. The interim Sindh government’s agenda points towards a joint venture agreement for this initiative.
Meanwhile, the Sindh-based political party, Awami Tehreek, has opposed this decision, stating that it is illegal and that the land should be allotted to poor farmers instead. This development follows a similar project in Punjab, which faced legal challenges regarding the military’s involvement in commercial ventures.
*Additional news input was taken from Geo TV
