Sahafi baradari rejects offer of housing society, accuses govt of bribing them for not reporting on RUDA

Pakistani journalist community has come forward to reject the Punjab government’s offer of a journalists’ housing society to be built in the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA).

On Wednesday, Pervaiz Elahi, the Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, allocated 700 kanals of land for the construction of a journalists’ housing society in RUDA.

Taking to Twitter, Elahi said, “Another promise to the journalist community has been fulfilled. Ravi Urban Development Authority has allotted 700 kanals of land for Journalist Colony Phase 2 in its first phase.”

He, further said that providing a roof for journalists is his top priority. “Plots were given to journalists in the previous period and still the promise of giving plots has been fulfilled,” he added.

روڈا فیز ون میں ترقیاتی کام پہلے سے ہی جاری ہے
صحافیوں کے لئے چھت فراہم کرنا میری اولین ترجیح ہے۔ پچھلے دور میں بھی صحافیوں کو پلاٹ دئیے اور اب بھی پلاٹ دینے کا وعدہ پورا کیاہے۔صحافی کالونی فیز ٹو میں پریس کلب ملازمین اور معذور،بیمار صحافیوں کو بھی پلاٹ دئیے جائیں گے۔

— Ch Parvez Elahi (@ChParvezElahi) December 14, 2022

Right after the decision, Twitter was filled with tweets by journalists and human rights activists, jointly rejecting the scheme. They accused the government of bribing them with public money.

This is bribing journalist community from reporting on RUDA, I hope our journalists will jointly reject this scheme! https://t.co/s330WawtOU

— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) December 15, 2022

Punjab government is offering a 700 kanal housing scheme for journalists in RUDA. This is still a disputed project where farmers are resisting attempts to evict them. This is nothing but a bribe to shut down criticism of RUDA's corruption. Shameful! pic.twitter.com/ogdQOAFD8Y

— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) December 14, 2022

Where farmers like Sajjad Warraich, Bao Bhatti, Nazeer Ahmed, amongst many others, are being forced to sell their agricultural land.

Those who refused to do so are being harassed and imprisoned.

Hopefully journalists don't accept this offer. https://t.co/F3J0lnxZ5l

— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) December 15, 2022

کیا اب ججز اور جرنیلوں کے بعد صحافی بھی مقدس گائیں ہیں،، کس خوشی میں دیے جا رہے ہیں انکو پلاٹ،، یہ کام کرتے ہیں، تنخواہ لیتے ہیں ،،، پھر ٹیکس کے پیسے سے خرید گئی زمین کہوں دی جا رہی ہے،،کوئی صحافی اس پر پروگرام کرے گا@HamidMirPAK @TalatHussain12 @shazbkhanzdaGEO @AnsarAAbbasi https://t.co/sQPbiZfIgt

— Rana Muzaffar (@MzranaA) December 15, 2022

I hope sahafi biradari rejects this plunder of Lahore. https://t.co/kY343teFIc

— Abbas Nasir (@abbasnasir59) December 15, 2022

چوہدری صاحب جو پراجکٹ کنٹروورشل ہے اس میں آپ صحافیوں کو کیوں برائب کر رہے ہیں؟ صحافیوں کو پلاٹ ہی کیوں ملیں؟ اور کوئی صحافی پلاٹ لے ہی کیوں؟ https://t.co/3JySRafhXy

— Adil Shahzeb (@adilshahzeb) December 14, 2022

جو ذات کے رپورٹر ہیں وہ غریب تو یہ خرید نہیں سکتے اور وہ جن کے پاس ایسی قوت خرید ہے انہیں ایسی سکیموں کی ضرورت نہیں

اتنے ہی نظریاتی ہو تو عوام کے پیسوں سے یہ سرکاری رشوتیں دینا بند کرو https://t.co/HCxbiQlOjg

— Rafi (@Rafi_AAA) December 14, 2022

Why are people against the allocation?

The Ravi Urban Development Authority allegedly forcibly acquired farmland from farmers, destroying crops on hundreds of acres in the Ferozewala area.

The farmers and landowners who have been victims of the project, accused the former premier Imran Khan of pushing the Pervaiz Elahi-led Punjab government to use force and arms for taking illegal possession of their land.

In August 2020, the then prime minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of the controversial real estate project.