KARACHI, May 21: The Gutter Baghicha Park, supposed to be spread over 400 acres on Manghopir Road, has been mysteriously reduced to 300 acres in the advertisement of the City Government.

In the advertisement that appeared in different newspapers to suggest names of the proposed 13 parks in the metropolis by the City Government, Gutter Baghicha has been shown to spread over 300 acres. In earlier reports, the City Government is on record, identifying the same park at 400 acres.

But in the press advertisement there was no mention of the remaining 100 acres.

In addition to Gutter Baghicha, the 12 parks to be developed in the city for its beautification and to improve the environment includes the vacated 17-acre plot of the Old Sabzimandi on University Road, 20-acre green belt in Mehmoodabad, PECHS; Gutter Baghicha of 300 acres, 27 acres ST2-3 Block-4 in Federal B. Area, 246 acres Boating Basin Park in Clifton, 12-acre model park in New Karachi No1 in Sector J-11 park, 12-acre model park in Korangi, 12-acre B-1 area park in Liaquatabad, 26-acre Sohrab Goth Park in Sohrab Goth, 3,000 acres Malir River Parks in Malir River Band Area, Thuddo Dam Picnic Resort, Auntie Park in Clifton Block 5 and ST-10 Block-4 park in Clifton.

Sindh Shehri Federation has demanded of the City Nazim to take notice of the embezzlement of 100 acres of Gutter Baghicha and ensure that the total area of the proposed park should be saved from the clutches of land-grabbers.

The SSF chairman, Syed Ashiq Ali Fatmi and General Secretary, Tahir Sawati, in a press release, pointed out the mysterious disappearance of an area of 100 acres from the proposed park and urged the City Nazim to look into the matter and foil any attempt to reduce the size of the park. Not only the City Nazim but President Gen Pervez Musharraf himself, in the public meeting held on April 28, had announced to convert the entire land of Gutter Baghicha into a beautiful park, they added.

They said that any attempt to embezzle the park area would be resisted by the NGOs who, in the past, had foiled all such attempts made by land-grabbers.