RAWALPINDI: Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Rawalpindi has inaugurated a cricket arena in Satellite Town’s Commercial Market Park to provide opportunity to youngsters to spend time in recreational activities.

The authority will also be building such cricket arenas in Chandni Chowk, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed and Allama Iqbal Park.

Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha inaugurated the cricket arena in Commercial Market in the presence of PHA Director General Ahmed Hassan Ranjha on Tuesday.

More such facilities to be built in Chandni Chowk, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, Allama Iqbal Park

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Chattha said the establishment of a cricket arena in Commercial Market Park was a good initiative.

“The administration will cooperate for the promotion of sports, which are essential for health, maintaining discipline and endurance,” he said, adding that “sports fields with a pleasant environment are essential for a healthy society”.

PHA Director General Ahmed Hassan Ranjha said the authority was taking good steps to beautify the city. Murree Road will be made a model road and the PHA was playing a constructive role in this regard, he added.

Mr Ranjha said in order to maintain the beauty of the city and develop sports fields, cooperation of the administration as well as people was inevitable.

He said the condition of the parks and greenbelts in the garrison city was improving as renovation work had been started. He said apart from renovating parks, the PHA had started developing greenbelts in different parts of the city and in the coming days, beautification drive would also be launched.

In this regard, the civic body had started survey to identify places and walls that needed to be refurbished, Mr Ranjha said, adding that traders on the main roads had been asked to make signboards of their shops on the PHA pattern so that they did not become eye sores.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2023