IHC stays outsourcing capital’s cricket grounds

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday issued a stay order against the outsourcing of the capital’s cricket grounds to private firms by the Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI).

When IHC judge Sardar Ijaz Ishaq took up the case about the handing over of cricket grounds to private firms, petitioner’s counsel Adil Aziz Qazi took the stance that the citizens will have to pay money to play cricket. He said that the MCI had no authority to outsource cricket grounds in the federal capital.

The MCI’s counsel took the stance that it was difficult to get possession of these grounds. He said that the MCI was handing over the grounds to private companies so that these could better be looked after.

After hearing both sides, the court stopped the MCI from outsourcing the cricket grounds and adjourned the hearing of the case till September 20.

Sources said that some of these cricket grounds were already under the control of private individuals who allow only clubs to use them. The sources said that the residents of Islamabad have no access to almost eight out total of 17 cricket grounds established by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in various sectors.

According to the sources, several grounds were under the occupation of different private clubs owned by incumbent and former office bearers of the Islamabad Cricket Association (ICA).

These grounds were developed around 2004 to facilitate more citizens, but over a period of time, these came under the occupation of powerful individuals with the alleged collusion of the CDA the sources said.

Most of these grounds were developed during the tenure of former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari. The idea of establishing these cricket grounds was to provide sports facilities to the citizens.

Meanwhile, the IHC on Friday adjourned the hearing till September 20 in the case pertaining to the non-payment of compensation to the affectees of various sectors.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case filed by the affectees. The CDA chairman did not appear before the court as the bench had summoned him in person. The CDA’s counsel said CDA Chairman Muhammad Usman was in Karachi to attend a meeting about the dengue outbreak. The court said that it would hear the case once the CDA chief returned to the town.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2022.