Hearing the land reforms case on Monday, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said land reforms were in the larger interest of farmers and could bring about a green revolution in the country.
“This is such a case wherein thousands of people can evince interest in opposing and supporting it. How much land is lying arid in the country? If it is cultivated, it will on one side afford benefit to the farming community and on other side will bring improvement in national economy,” the CJP said.
The Supreme Court ordered the federal and provincial governments to give advertisement in the media for inviting applications from the persons who were aspirant to become party in land reforms case.
The court also allowed the farmers to become party in the case.
Abdul Hafiz Pirzada advocate appeared in court at the inception of the hearing, praying that he wanted to become party in the case on behalf of farmers, therefore, he be allowed to do so.
The court allowed Pirzada to become party, as his plea was not opposed by petitioner Abid Hassan Manto.
The court observed, “As the matter involves public interest, therefore, it will be better to run advertisement in the newspapers on this count.”
Manto and Pirzada asked, “Who will bear the expense?”
The court remarked, “The federal and provincial governments will bear the expenses in this regard. State-owned media can also do this job. Advertisements should be published in at least two newspapers.”
The court later adjourned proceedings for two weeks.
