Illegal use: Mayor vows to retake grounds from ‘occupiers’

One ground retrieved as IMC mulls action against occupiers of seven other grounds

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Mayor Shiekh Anser Aziz has vowed to retrieve all CDA play grounds in the capital which are occupied by private individuals and ‘clubs’.

Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) Mayor and Chairman CDA Sheikh Ansar Aziz on Friday said that “renting out government grounds is against the law and all such grounds would be retrieved which are illegally possessed by individuals and are charging fees from residents.”

He added that such grounds would in future would not be given to people who charge a fee so that the youth can utilise them freely.

After assuming the additional charge of CDA chairman, the mayor had taken serious notice of different play grounds occupied by private individuals. He had directed the concerned departments to immediately vacate these illegally occupied grounds after which notices were served to a cricket ground situated in Sector F-7.

With no response from the occupiers, the IMC staff were directed to seal the ground. When the enforcement staff tried to seal the premises, its occupants retaliated forcing the IMC officials to retreat.

However, the IMC later managed to regain possession of the ground. Out of a total of 17 grounds established by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in various sectors of Islamabad, eight are inaccessible since they are occupied by various private ‘clubs’ owned by serving and former office bearers of the Islamabad Cricket Association (ICA).The clubs charge around Rs8,000 to Rs25,000 from teams wishing to use the ground.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2016.