KHAR: Scores of youth here on Thursday staged a demonstration against construction of a children and family park at Bajaur Sports Complex.

The protesters gathered at Bajaur Sports Complex and threatened to launch a full-fledged protest movement if the project was not shifted to other areas immediately.

They criticised provincial government, district administration and sports department for choosing the sports complex for setting up a children and family park.

Holding cricket bats, balls and sports kits in their hands, the protesters chanted slogans against the authorities and termed construction of a children and family park at the sports complex inappropriate.

The protesters said that the complex was meant only for sports activities. They said that Bajaur Sports Complex was the only sports facility in the entire country where authorities had planned to set up children and family park.

The protesters said that authorities had stopped them from playing any game at the site selected for the park.

They said that they would be unable to continue their sports activities at the complex after construction of the park as no space would be left for them to play any game there.

They said that ‘unnecessary construction of a children and family park’ at the sports complex would prevent hundreds of youth and children from taking part in sports activities. They added that the youth could also get involved in drugs and other social evils if they were deprived of playgrounds.

They said that a hockey ground at the sports complex was closed. They also criticised the authorities for constructing washrooms outside the sports complex which according to them were of no use for the players and audience.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2020