February 3, 2006	Friday	Muharram 4, 1427

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KARACHI, Feb 2: People connected with sports have demanded of the city nazim to demolish marriage lawns from the CDGK KMC Sports Complex and stop misuse of the premises.

Marriage lawns are doing lucrative business as sports and healthy activities for which the land was allotted, has become secondary, information gathered by Dawn on Wednesday.

This is evident from the fact that tennis courts which have served as venue for a number of prestigious ranking tournaments in yester years has not staged any competition since 1999, the last being Mayor’s Cup.

‘At least 12 lawns have been converted into marriage gardens at different locations of the sports complex which is spread over approximately 12-13 acre of land.

City officers club gets the proceeds of three marriage lawns while three are governed by sports complex administration, CDGK. The remaining six are run by the defunct KDA.

Constructed in 1974 on Kashmir Road, a major part of the KMC Sports Complex remained occupied by the Rangers until 2000.

It provides facilities of four tennis courts, two squash courts, swimming pool, basketball court, facility for snooker and table tennis, and jogging and skating track.

The sporting facilities provide access to poor youths who can’t afford to practice at clubs and gymkhanas.

The annual grant earmarked for the KMC sports complex was Rs. 15 million which lapsed and now a meagre amount of two million rupees has been set aside for 2005-06, additional director of the complex, Mansoor Mirza told Dawn.

Mirza disclosed that he had submitted a proposal to the high ups for renovation and maintenance of facilities.

Meanwhile, Shahida Farooq, member PTF council and vice-president, STA, who has organised a number of tournaments and clinics in the past, has announced to revive activities at the venue with the staging of national hard court championship later this month.