ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: The slow conversion of playgrounds into multi-storey flats in different areas by the Capital Development Authority is depriving youth of healthy sporting activities to the detriment of distracting their attention towards harmful activities.

Though it is not known how many more grounds are on the CDA list for conversion into flats, there are at least three such playgrounds in the capital, which have been converted into multi- story flats. These are located in I-8/2, ADBP Colony and G-6-1/3. Before their conversion, dozens of youths daily visited these playgrounds. Some played cricket; some strolled their length and breadth; some enjoyed a happy discussion; some played cards and some read books and magazines etc.

These playgrounds were filled to their capacity on every Sunday and Friday when students representing different cricket clubs got enough time to play thrilling matches. A few hours lively sporting activity relieved them of the tension and boredom generated from reading textbooks and doing plenty of homework everyday.

But now there are no more thrilling matches and the spectators’ wild chorus of appreciation for those in the field except for huge masses of cement and iron cocking a snook at these youths.

Majority of these youth can now be seen killing their spare time at the snooker clubs where most of them indulge in betting. Some of the youths steal money from their homes to pay for the game or put it on stake. Many a time different groups of these youths indulged in fisticuffs and brawls, serious enough to draw the police in, thus, bringing a bad name to the parents.

A police official told this reporter that want of playgrounds in the residential areas in Islamabad was attracting youths to snooker clubs, which really were casinos, making them hardened gamblers and a woe for their parents. He said a few months ago, two groups took out their pistols when they developed differences over distribution of money. He said if one of the boys had not seen the police mobile patrolling in the area, the clash might have taken some ugly turn.

A 10th class student in a local school said he daily visited the playground in his area before its conversion into residential flats. He said he could not go to some other playground because it wasted a lot of his precious time in going to and coming from the park, leaving too small a time to play cricket. He said now he visited a snooker club close by his residence and enjoyed his spare time to his heart’s content. He, however, denied indulging in betting.

A CDA official said the conversion of these playgrounds into residential areas was a serious violation of the Islamabad Master Plan. He said it was not a healthy practice and must be checked immediately, otherwise all playgrounds in the residential areas would change into flats one by one.