The fate of the Lyallpur Golf Club remains uncertain nearly two and a half months after the Lahore High Court (LHC) suspended the Punjab Board of Revenue's decision to cancel its lease and seal the premises.
Despite the court's orders, the district administration has yet to de-seal the facility.
Moeen Mahmood Khan, the petitioner and secretary of the golf club, stated that the high court's suspension orders were handed over to the deputy commissioner, but implementation has not been forthcoming.
He added that the club's management is attempting to resolve the matter amicably but may consider initiating contempt of court proceedings if the issue persists. The LHC had directed respondents, including the Punjab chief secretary, the member colonies of the Board of Revenue and Faisalabad's deputy and assistant commissioners, to submit a comprehensive report within two weeks.
The club's administration filed a petition asserting that the lease cancellation on September 27, 2024, was unlawful, executed without proper notice, and violated the terms of the lease.
The petition also alleged that district authorities prevented the club from paying its annual lease fee of Rs15,000 by failing to issue a bank challan, using this as a pretext to cancel the agreement.
The Lyallpur Golf Club, established in 1980 and later converted into a society, promotes golf as an affordable sport and has hosted national and international tournaments.
The land, measuring over 20 acres, was leased to the club in 1982, with significant investment made in developing the golf course.
Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah recently announced plans to establish an information technology university on the golf club's land. However, urban planners and environmentalists have raised concerns, citing the area's congestion and environmental impact.
The site, surrounded by institutions like the Divisional Public School, the Arts Council, and Iqbal Stadium, is already prone to heavy traffic.
Critics argue that using the land for the university could exacerbate existing challenges in the city, which has a green footprint of only 1.5%, far below international standards.
Col (retd) Amjad Karim, patron-in-chief of the Arfa Karim Foundation, suggested naming the proposed university after Arfa Karim, the world's youngest Microsoft Certified Professional and establishing it on a 16-acre state-owned parcel in Arfa Karim Nagar.
Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Nadeem Nasir defended the government's position, stating that prime land in the city centre cannot remain under the control of a few individuals.
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