A few years ago, Hasilwala, a rural area in Punjab, was a desolate landscape. Thanks to innovative solar technology, the community invested in irrigation and farming, breathing life into the dry soil. Now, that same technology threatens to displace them.
“They are snatching away our forefathers’ lands and our livelihoods,” lamented 80-year-old Maheen Bibi, a distressed resident of Chah Hasilwala, located in the Muzaffargarh district of Punjab. “We have nowhere else to go. God will ensure justice prevails.”
Her words echo the anguish of many as the government moves to acquire over 2,500 acres of land to establish a solar power plant, a development that threatens to uproot families who have transformed their once barren land into flourishing fields.
“The government provided nothing – no roads, no electricity, no water,” local leader Muzaffar Khan Magsi told The Diplomat. “Now that we’ve built our lives here, they want to take it all away.”
He asserted that nearly 300 families will face unemployment and homelessness. Their protection is not even considered in the project.
What Is Muzaffargarh Solar PV Park?
Muzaffargarh Solar PV Park is a 600MW solar photovoltaic power project, planned in Punjab, Pakistan. According to GlobalData, which tracks and profiles over 170,000 power plants worldwide, the project is currently at the permitting stage.
The Muzaffargarh Solar PV Park is a ground-mounted solar project planned to cover an area of over 2,400 acres. It will be developed in a single phase, with construction expected to begin in 2025 and commercial operations anticipated to start in 2026. The project is being developed and currently owned entirely by the Alternative Energy Development Board, Pakistan.
In September 2022, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government approved a program to produce 2,000 megawatts of electricity from solar energy. As a part of this initiative, the government decided to set up a 600-megawatt solar plant approximately 35 kilometers north of Muzaffargarh city in Punjab, the largest province of the country, between M.M. Road and Rangpur Road.
The survey and land acquisition for this project was entrusted to the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC). The Land Acquisition Act 1894 was invoked, and the work of surveying and estimating the price of land was assigned to the district administration of Muzaffargarh, as Kot Addu was not a separate district at that time in Punjab.
Temporary leasing of land was required for the contractor during the project implementation phase to establish the construction camps, office, workshops and more. The land needed was acquired by the contractor through negotiation with the landowners in the form of a lease agreement under the supervision and approval of the Project Management Unit (PMU).
However, the rental fee was not paid based on applicable market rates for land leases. This implies that the land for the facilities of the contractor was taken through a voluntary agreement – one that the landowner later refused due to dissatisfaction with the terms offered.
On March 16, 2024, the NTDC Headquarters, Water, and Power Development Authority House issued a press release announcing the “successful acquisition of two thousand, five hundred and fifty-three acres of land in Tehsil Chowk Sarwar Shaheed for the solar power plant.” Moreover, the land acquisition collector announced the award of the aforementioned land under Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894. The Director General (Land) NTDC and other officials were also present at the event. A picture accompanying the press release depicted a banner reading “Award Ceremony.”
For some local residents, it was the first confirmation that their land was being taken away.
Sentiments of the Local Landowners
Local farmer Amir Khan, who runs a shop near Adda Chowk in Kot Dadu, while talking to The Diplomat expressed his frustration over the lack of communication regarding the land acquisition.
“My objections were ignored, and I never received any formal notice before the award was announced. Survey work began years ago without our knowledge,” he explained. “They initially estimated my land’s value at 225,000 to 280,000 rupees ($800-$1000) per acre, while others in different areas are being offered 400,000 to 500,000 rupees ($1,400-$1,800) per acre.”
Amir noted that the locals rejected the government’s offer. “They pressured us to accept the money, warning that if we didn’t, we’d have to go to Lahore for fair compensation,” he said.
After officials left, banners were erected, and the next day, news broke that the land had been acquired.
As community members organized to resist further government surveys, local journalist Sara Malik, while discussing the incident with media, highlighted the environmental consequences of the project. “This solar project threatens vital green habitats that local wildlife relies on. Converting agricultural land into industrial zones will disrupt ecosystems,” she stated.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official of the Ministry of Climate Change told The Diplomat that the project may seem beneficial for energy production, but the cost may be too high. The livelihoods of hundreds are at stake, and Pakistan would lose precious arable land that contributes to national food security.
The community remains determined to fight against the project, voicing their concerns over both their livelihoods and the environmental impact. As protests continue, the clash between government plans and local needs intensifies, underscoring the urgent need for a more sustainable approach to development.
When the government teams came again recently, local people resisted and stopped them from undertaking a new survey.
Outdated Land Records Fail To Reflect New Realities
Mehar Ijaz, a landlord in Thal who also practices law in Muzaffargarh, stated in a video interview that more than 50 landowners have filed petitions with the Land Acquisition Collector based in Lahore. He added that the petitioners have raised objections regarding serious violations of rules in determining the value for the acquisition of lands under various sections of the Acquisition Act of 1894.
“Our objections were not heard and proceedings were conducted unilaterally. I also filed a petition in the court of the Additional Deputy Commissioner of District Muzaffargarh but justice was not done there either,” he said.
Complicating the issue is the drastic transformation in Hasilwala, where locals have used new irrigation technology to make farming possible on previously barren land. Locals say that government compensation doesn’t reflect the new value of their land, nor the expense and effort put into making farming possible.
Shafqat Nonari expressed frustration that despite significant investments in irrigation systems and agricultural activities, the land is undervalued and misrepresented as barren in government records. “The market rate of our lands is between ten to fifteen, and even eighteen, lakh [between 1,000,000 and 18,000,000] rupees per acre but authorities are offering much less,” he said. “If land is to be acquired, we should be compensated at the market rate.”
Landowner Mian Ameer Nawaz from Thal said, “If only Commissioner Dera Ghazi Khan would visit the site with his deputy commissioners and inspect these fertile lands, I am confident they would relocate the solar plant.”
On June 15, locals staged a protest at the Khudai bus stop, near Head Muhammed Wala in Punjab. They said that the government’s offer price is too low. “It costs 800,000 to 1,000,000 rupees to only level one acre of barren land and make it cultivable. We will not accept the offer under any circumstances.”
Ameer Momin Rehmat, a local from Muzaffargarh, Punjab, also participated in this protest. He suggested that thousands of acres of government land lie vacant in the districts of Muzaffargarh and Kot Addu, where the government can set up the power plant, sparing this agricultural land.
Project engineers, who remain optimistic about the solar initiative, insist the project will ultimately benefit the region. However, they acknowledge the community’s concerns. “We understand the grievances,” one engineer stated on the condition of anonymity. “But this project is crucial for energy sustainability in the area.”
As protests intensify, the divide between government ambitions and community needs widens. With the future of their homes hanging in the balance, the residents of Thal continue to fight for their rights – reminding us that behind every development project, there are lives and livelihoods hanging in the balance.