Mutual back-scratching: Caught out by Islamabad Cricket Association, CDA ‘forced’ to induct nine players in its team

Move comes on the tail of discovery that civic agency carved plots out of ICA-run cricket ground.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Cricket Association—the organisation that oversees the administration of professional and semi professional cricket in Islamabad — is apparently capitalising on the Capital Development Authority being caught out in an illegality.

A few days ago, the CDA planning wing unlawfully carved out six new residential plots by utilising a significant portion of a cricket ground near Street 73 in Sector F-11/1. The ground is currently under the control of ICA Secretary Irfan Manzoor, who operates a private cricket club there.

The ground is among 17 CDA-owned cricket grounds in Islamabad that are being unlawfully occupied by private individuals or clubs, weho in turn have made them inaccessible for the general public.

The CDA’s planning wing claims that the new plots were created on waste land located between the ground and a seasonal stream passing through the area. However, sources privy to the redesign claimed that the plots were carved out of the cricket ground.

Interestingly, the ICA office bearers were the ones who caught the illegal move, but instead of taking the CDA to court or taking other ‘above board’ measures, they resorted to a mutually acceptable, but illegal compromise.

Sources privy to the development claimed that a few days after the plots were carved out, the ICA moved a file to with the high-up in CDA asking them to induct nine cricket players registered with private clubs as daily wagers in the CDA.

“The CDA accepted and dug an even deeper hole for itself, initiating recruitment for all the players,” a source said. In response, the ICA began trying to hush the issue, but local residents, who had already been struggling to get back possession of the ground, got wind of the new scam.

“Now the CDA management is caught between a rock and a hard place. The locals are pushing it to relocate the newly-created plots, while the ICA is forcing high-ups to finalise recruitment,” the source said.

CDA Sports and Culture Director General Asif Shahjahan, told The Express, “the file [for the induction of new cricketers] has been forwarded to the CDA chairman.”

He dispelled the impression that nepotism had anything to do with the selection. He, however, failed to give a satisfactory answer about the merit criteria adopted by the CDA in the selection process.

When reminded that the cricket team was already overstaffed, Shahjahan claimed that he had categorically mentioned on the file that the new recruitment should only be made after fulfilling all necessary formalities.

Interestingly, the cricketers also include Moeed Sheikh, son of Pakistan Cricket Board governing body member and ICA President Shakil Sheikh.

Sheikh told The Express Tribune, “I have nothing to do with the recruitment. My son plays professional cricket and if the CDA selects him for its team, it will totally be on merit, as I have never asked anyone for such a favour.”

ICA Secretary Manzoor said it was inappropriate to link the recruitments with the ground issue.

He confirmed that CDA had created plots along the side of the cricket ground in an area being used for net practice. “Locals have already moved the court against the CDA, while the ICA has also been assured by the CDA chairman that these plots were mistakenly created and that they will be relocated soon,” Manzoor said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2015.