| ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) again plans to construct a cricket stadium in Shakarparian area, but it needs to seek the Supreme Court permission in this regard.
In 2018, the Supreme Court had scrapped a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) project to build a cricket stadium in Shakarparian, for being part of the National Park and handed over control of the site of the under-construction stadium to the CDA.
Now CDA mulls filing a review petition against the order of the Supreme Court for construction the stadium.
Besides, Cricket Stadium, the CDA is also all set to set up Capital Street, a food place, in Art and Craft Village that also falls in Shakarparian area.
Mulls filing review petition against SC order, disallowing construction in the area for being part of the National Park
In 1960, the Greek Firms Doxiadis Associates, which had prepared Islamabad’s master plan had declared 2250 acre land as Sports Centre. The boundary of the area is bounded with Islamabad Highway, in North with Srinagar Highway and in South and East it touches Murree Road.
To this, the government had constructed Sports Complex, Museum, Lok Virsa, Golf Course, Islamabad Club, etc., in the area.
However, in 1979, through a notification, the federal government, ended the independent status of the area and included it into the National Park and Zone III area.
Since then, the construction is not allowed in the area, though the CDA in collaboration with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) tried to construct international stadium in the area.
Now the CDA is once again planning to construct the stadium in the area and for this purpose a review petition will be filed against the Supreme Court decision.
“Yes, we are going to file an appeal before the Supreme Court as we want to construct cricket stadium in this area,” said Chairman CDA Noorul Amin Mengal while talking to Dawn.
He said that as per original master plan of Islamabad the area in question was reserved mainly for sports activities.
Meanwhile, the CDA is also set to auction plots for restaurants in Art and Craft Village, which is also located in Shakarparian area.
Some officials said to avoid complication in future, the CDA would move a summary to federal government seeking withdrawal of the notification to the extent of the said area before auctioning of plots for restaurants.
“There is a need to remove this lacuna,” he said.
However, a CDA member said the review petition is required to the extent of cricket stadium. However, as far as restaurants in Art and Craft village is concerned, it is allowed under the rules as no tree will be chopped off and only 10pc area of craft village will be used for covered area, and it will be fume free area,” he said.
The CDA chairman also said the civic agency would auction plots for restaurant and craftsmen shops in the village in accordance with rules and regulations.
Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2023
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