The lush green cricket ground built in the heart of the capital at a cost of millions of rupees has been left to lie derelict with broken chairs strewn all across the ground and unkempt grass spread all over the place, leaving no space for the youth to play.
The ground lies in ruins as a result of a row between G-9 Markaz traders and Margalla Cricket Club’s management. The ground has been tuned into a dumping ground while the city’s civic authority, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), has been dragging its feet on the matter for the last six months, which has put the ground’s future at stake.
Damaged fences and chairs lying scattered across the ground speak volumes about the CDA’s lack of interest in restoring the ground to its original condition.
The dispute that led to the closure of the ground resulted from a scuffle between the administration of the Margalla Cricket Club and traders of G-9 Markaz, over the fee for playing on the ground. The traders were reluctant to pay the fee to the club for holding tournaments. Instead of resolving the matter, the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICT) jumped into the fray and sealed the playing ground.
“You can see the sorry state of the ground, it seems as if Nazi forces conquered it after bloodshed,” says a youngster, Mohammad Ali, pointing towards dozens of damaged chairs lying on the ground. He said the CDA authorities did not bother to post guards to take care of the ground, rather they have left it at the mercy of addicts and stray dogs, he added.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Margalla Cricket Club President Mian Dawood Iqbal said that the CDA handed the ground over to the club in 2007. “We had to pay money to watchmen and pitch-makers. To meet such expenses we used to rent the ground for matches, but we never charged registered clubs and educational institutions,” he said.
When asked under which authority he had used the ground for commercial purposes, charging Rs 5000 per match, he said that CDA-owned grounds which were run by Islamabad Cricket Association (ICA) were also used commercially to meet their expenses. “If the CDA opens the grounds meant for cricket, the locals will use them for other games such as hockey, and soccer, which will mar the beauty of grounds,” he said.
On the other hand, local residents maintain the ground should not be handed over to individuals “It should be open to everybody because it is a public property,” said Shakeel Hussain, a local youth. Another youngster, Ismail Khan came down heavily on CDA over its silence. “If there is an issue between club and locals, it is the duty of CDA to resolve it. What is fault of youth? Why have they been they deprived of a playing facility?”
CDA Spokesman Ramzan Sajid said following a scuffle between the club and traders the ground was sealed by the area assistant commissioner. He said the CDA has decided to allocate money for the renovation of the ground. “I agree with you that the ground is in a dilapidated state, but please allow me to tell that it will not remain in the current state anymore.”
When asked why the CDA handed the ground over to a club, the spokesman said that since CDA faced a manpower shortage it couldn’t look after the all its grounds, which is why the CDA put cricket associations and elders of the local community in charge of its grounds.
