ISLAMABAD: The city’s managers have sealed one of the nine public grounds under the illegal occupation of former and incumbent office-bearers of the Islamabad Cricket Association (ICA).

According to the records of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), the F-7/1 Cricket Ground, G-9 Cricket Ground, F-11/1 Cricket Ground, G-11/1 Cricket Ground, Diamond Cricket Ground, National Cricket Ground, Saidpur Cricket Ground, Bhutto Cricket

Ground and Shalimar Cricket Ground had been under the illegal occupation.

There are reports that the operators were using these grounds for commercial purposes by charging Rs5,000 to Rs20000 per day from those who used it. On Wednesday night, a team of the MCI sealed the National Ground in Sector F-7.

However, the operator of the ground, Shabir Ahmed, who is associated with the ICA, and other individuals broke the seal early on Thursday. As a result, the MCI got an FIR registered against Shabir and others.

The ICA has been claiming that it was maintaining and using the grounds for the promotion of cricket. the ICA also claimed that a parliamentary standing committee had given it the permission to use the facility.

“I have a permission letter from the parliamentary standing committee,” Shabir told mediapersons.

Meanwhile, scores of club cricket players held a protest demonstration at Jinnah Super Market against the MCI and the CDA for sealing the cricket ground.The ICA and private individuals have made the nine grounds out of bounds for the citizens. An official of the MCI said they came to know that the operators of the grounds were charging Rs5,000 to Rs25,000 per day from cricket lovers for using the facility.

However, the ICA claimed that it was not charging the registered clubs but the corporate sector only.

Recently, all public parks and grounds were devolved from the CDA to the MCI.

When contacted, Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz said there were complaints from the citizens that they were being forced to pay for using the grounds.

“All public grounds are meant for the public, we can’t allow anyone to charge the citizens,” the mayor said, adding all grounds which were under the illegal occupation would be retrieved. He said a few years ago the Supreme Court had also observed that it was the duty of the CDA to run and maintain all the public parks and grounds.

“The MCI staff will maintain all the grounds. We will promote sports in the city and provide the grounds to everyone free of cost.” The mayor said the other occupied grounds would also be retrieved soon.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016