THE Nawaz Sharif Park (now Public Park) was built and inaugurated by Mian Nawaz Sharif on May 20, 1990 when he was Punjab’s chief minister. A park in Rawalpindi’s heart was a good idea because the public had no place for recreation in the vicinity. The only option was the Commercial Market Park — too small to accommodate too many visitors. The public really wanted a place for outdoor activity. That is why the fountain circle at Chandni Chowk was always crowded. The Sharif Park was thus a blessing. Soon after its inauguration, it became the busiest park after Ayub Park.
During its initial years, the park was a fertile piece of land. It was embellished with a variety of trees and flowers. Each sapling carried a plaque that described its family. Drinking water was not a problem faced by the visitors. There was a beautiful fountain in the centre of the park in working condition. There were enough wastebaskets of zinc screens in the field. The park was attractive due to several facilities—its one kilometer round walking track was ideal for those who loved walking, jogging or running. Enter the track in the morning or evening hours—it would always be busy. It promoted the healthy trend of physical exercise among youngsters.
The park’s vast area was covered with lush green grass that attracted families for picnics. Decent families of the town would visit it; squatting on the grassy ground to spend their evenings. Swings of several designs would attract kids, who would stand in queues and wait for their turn to enjoy the fun and frolic. The magical fountain enhanced the beauty of the park. There were colourful lights at the bottom of the pond. Water would fall from the fountain, producing waves in the pond, their dazzling vivid lights creating a romantic environment. People would sit around the pond motionless and gaze at the water intently.
In the last corner of the park was a playhouse run by a private company that would offer people of all ages a number of swings, gadgets and games.
The Sharif Park is 11-years old now. It does not enjoy good health. The idyllic picnic spot of yore now looks deplorable . Day by day, it is turning into a garbage dump. You will see small piles of waste and garbage at several spots in the park. Empty bottles, polythene bags, peels of fruits and vegetables, cigarettes butts, wrappers, residue of edibles leftovers, used tissue papers, etc., come under the category of the regular solid waste pervasive in the park. The park is also being used to dump hazardous waste such as used syringes and sanitary pads! The plaques on the trees have been stolen. There still exist several species of trees in the park but only the plaques of three are there as of the Ficus Starlight, and Mangolia Magnaferra. Most of the wastebaskets have been stolen. The remaining ones stand without screens—if you throw trash in the basket it will fall on the ground!
There is no water in the pond. Therefore, the fountain has become useless. The multi-coloured lights are now broken. The plants, flowers, and grass are not watered. All of them have withered. There is no arrangement for drinking water. There is no public toilet. The jogging track has been excavated. All the swings have broken down and not been replaced. The park is not cleaned. The company that runs the playhouse has tripled its rates within a few years. There exists no authority that could keep a check on their tariff.
The most worrisome aspect is that the park has become a pivotal business point for prostitutes. Outside the park one can see a mafia of pimps openly offering visitors prostitutes. This is happening with the patronage of the local police. It often causes serious embarrassment to those ladies who visit the park alone and are sometimes misunderstood as prostitutes by those who hunt for them.
The entire blame of the park’s decadence cannot be put on the administration of Rawalpindi. We as citizens have an equal share in this dirty deed. In the past eleven years we have become well conversant with state of the art technology but have not learnt to keep our environment clean. We have developed the habit of throwing our trash in the premises of another — be it an empty plot, or a public park. We know the art of keeping our home neat and clean but we have not learnt that all public places are also our homes. They provide us shelter. They are located on this planet earth, which is everybody’s home.
THE Nawaz Sharif Park (now Public Park) was built and inaugurated by Mian Nawaz Sharif on May 20, 1990 when he was Punjab’s chief minister. A park in Rawalpindi’s heart was a good idea because the public had no place for recreation in the vicinity. The only option was the Commercial Market Park — too small to accommodate too many visitors. The public really wanted a place for outdoor activity. That is why the fountain circle at Chandni Chowk was always crowded. The Sharif Park was thus a blessing. Soon after its inauguration, it became the busiest park after Ayub Park.
