‘College ground illegally occupied’
The Sindh education department in an official communication to the Karachi commissioner and District Central deputy commissioner has sought action to retake the occupied playground of the Government Degree Girls College North Nazimabad from Sarfaraz Ahmed Cricket Academy.
Sindh Education and Literacy Department Deputy Secretary Ihsanullah Laghari stated in the letter that the department has received a complaint from the principal of the college complaining that some elements had illegally occupied the college ground. "It is, therefore, requested to get vacated the occupied ground of the college from the influential persons and also take necessary action against them," the letter stated.
The playground, famously known as Kaka Ground, was renamed after Sarfaraz Ahmed when Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy under his captaincy in 2017.
The cricket ground on the amenity plot has been a centre of controversy since the college started to function on this piece of land around two years ago.
The college principal and students also held a protest over the illegal occupation. The principal said that future and safety of 400 plus girls was put on stake by Karachi adminsitrator.
"I have documentation of this amenity plot assigned for Education. As per law the amenity plot is not transferable for any other purpose," she told the media. Murtaza Wahab has no authority to distribute this land.
Read More: Encroached parks, playgrounds
Meanwhile, Karachi Barrister Administrator Murtaza Wahab dismissed the allegations on former Pakistani skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed for illegally occupying the land of college in North Nazimabad.
Wahab told the media that the land of Sarfaraz Ahmed Academy is owned by KMC and its charge was given to the cricketer after he led Pakistan to Champions Trophy triumph in 2017.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2022.