Neglected public parks call for action
Many public parks and playgrounds in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) are in poor condition and require immediate attention of the civic authorities. Despite the city being known for its green spaces, neglect is evident, with broken benches, damaged lamps, overgrown grass, and litter marring several parks.
According to a senior official of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), there are more than 300 public parks and playgrounds in Islamabad and over 820 staff members are deployed to keep these parks clean and green.
A resident of Sector G11/2, Haq Nawaz said that public parks in the majority of areas including G-10, G-9, G-8, G-13 and G-7 were in poor condition with broken benches, broken lamps, overgrown grass, uneven walking tracks, trash strewn all over.
Touqeer Ahmed, a regular visitor of the playground in G-9 lamented the appalling condition of most parks and playgrounds, stating, "The lush greenery is overshadowed by the neglect, reflecting a lack of interest from CDA officials."
Shahid Jameel, a resident of G-13/4, said, "Swings and other playing instruments installed at a park near his house had broken, posing a threat to children. It's heartbreaking to see our parks in this state. Now, I don't feel safe bringing my kids here."
When contacted, Qaisar Mahmood an Assistant Director of the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) told APP that all the public parks and playing areas under the authority were renovated and revamped time and again but the outsiders misuse these recreational facilities. He called upon the residents to also help the government in maintaining public facilities by taking much care of such facilities while using them.
CDA's Director Environment Rana Kashif said, "The capital has the largest number of parks and the directorate of environment is divided into four parts; East, West, Parks and Regional. There is no specific allocation of funds, the funds are allocated on need-based for renovation and provision of the required facilities.
"The residents urged the authorities to take notice of the situation and must prioritise park maintenance, allocate sufficient funds, and engage community members to equip the parks with facilities