ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday restrained the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) from outsourcing six cricket grounds in the federal capital.

MCI had issued an advertisement to outsource management, operation and maintenance of six cricket grounds of G-8/2 (old Diamond Cricket Ground), Bhutto Cricket Ground G-7/1, Margalla Cricket Ground G-9, National Cricket Ground F-7, Marghzar Cricket Ground Saidpur Village and Shalimar Cricket Ground main Margalla Road F-6.

IHC Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan issued the restraining order hearing the petition of ex-chairman of a union council Sardar Mehtab.

Adil Aziz Qazi, counsel for the petitioner, argued before the court that the government was renting out six cricket grounds which would render them financially unfeasible for young players to use these facilities.

He said the administrator of MCI had issued a notification to outsource these grounds on Sept 8.

He argued that the administrator could not outsource the playgrounds since this was the domain of the elected mayor, it should be deferred till the local government elections, which were likely to be held in about a month.

He pointed out that an administrator, who has been appointed for a very short period, cannot outsource cricket grounds for two years.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2022