Reducing public space: ‘Criminals using stay order to conduct illegal activities at park’

PTI leader claims Abdul Sattar Afghani Park has been turned into commercial area

The Abdul Sattar Afghani Park on Shaheed-e-Millat Road has been converted into a restaurant, gaming den, shisha place and a centre for illegal activities, according to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi.

The criminals who abused the public facility are connected with political parties, the local administration and police and have abused the judicial process, he alleged in a press conference on Tuesday.

An agreement was entered into on January 13, 2009 between the nazim of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town and Arshad Amin, a resident of North Nazimabad Town, to allow the parties to install swings and maintain the park for three years for a charge of Rs6,000 per month, according to the statement of the press conference.

Naqvi alleged that, without taking into consideration the agreement, the nazim of union council-II, Salahuddin Siddiqui, allowed the laying of a jogging track, electricity poles, renovation of the boundary wall, installation of a screen for movies and an underground tank.

The principle agreement had clearly stated that no commercial activity will take place, approval of all temporary structures will be taken from relevant authorities and no change in original status of the property, which is a public park, could be carried out, he said.

He explained that a stay order was obtained from a court by the violators of the agreement on November 3, 2009 and since then anti-social activities are going on under its cover. According to residents, the location is being used as a private, commercial area, not a public park. On public complaint the authorities have moved the court twice on this issue but both times the public prosecutor was 'influenced' and did not present the case properly, Naqvi alleged.

The whole area is full of encroachments where public officials and politicians are benefiting and the interest of the general public is suffering, he alleged. "We may not be given powers but we will keep highlighting such glaring cases of nepotism and corruption and bring all wrongdoings to the forefront," Naqvi vowed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2016.