KARACHI, April 19: City Nazim Niamatullah Khan said on Monday that all playgrounds will be exclusively used for games and not for holding weekly bazaars and marriage ceremonies.

This he stated at a press conference when a newsman informed the Nazim that Kashmir Road's China ground and a number of other play fields in Gulberg and other towns were being used as weekly bazaars or marriage gardens, depriving youths of playing facilities.

Taking a strong notice of such reports, the Nazim said he would soon take some measures in this regard, either by the end of this month or by mid-May. Referring to the security measures taken for the 5th Junior Asian Hockey Cup Tourney, the Nazim said that the IGP Sindh and DG Rangers have taken full-proof measures to provide security to the members of the participating teams and for organizing the event in a peaceful manner.

The Nazim lauded the decision to hold such an international event and said it was an honour for the city. He denounced the Western media's smear campaign, and said it was portraying Karachi as a volatile and disturbed city where despite their propaganda about the law and order situation Karachiites witnessed match between Pakistan and India in a peaceful atmosphere.

Speaking about the crime rate, he said it was lower than those in other major cities of the world.s, but it is a city of peace-loving people, and people would show this in the Asian hockey tournament. He said that there would be no entry fee at the Hockey Club of Pakistan during the tournament.