Final Decision to Construct Cricket Stadium in Islamabad

It seems that all of the departments came to the final decision to construct the cricket stadium in Islamabad. The discussion was undertaken from last ten years to build the cricket stadium but it was not finalized due to some reasons.

Cricket Stadium in Islamabad

It has been reported that several discussions were undertaken and now Capital Development Authority (CDA) decided to sign the Memorandum of Understanding, under which the cricket stadium will be built near Shakerparian and they allotted the land of about 40 acres to construct this big cricket stadium in the capital city. The CDA authority signed the MoU with PCB and also allotted the land at the particular place and it has also been decided that CDA will get 30% of total ticket and remaining 70% will go to PCB to arrange the domestic and international matches on this big cricket stadium.

Valid concern against Cricket Stadium

When the discussions for the construction of the cricket stadium were started then various negative criticism was also received against this project. It is said that Shakarparian is the central and main forest area of the capital and it is declared as the heart of the capital city. To construct the big cricket stadium, it is necessary to cut the trees from the area, which will result in increase in temperature and drop the water level in the ground. The former ICC President, Ehsan Mani rejected the idea for construction of the cricket stadium with the plea that Islamabad does not have enough population to come to the stadium to watch the matches. The construction of the big stadium will be economically nonviable and difficult to maintain it.

He also said that the construction of the big stadium in the capital city will create problems and it will also damage the environment. If the cricket board in Pakistan wants to make the big stadium, then it should upgrade the cricket stadium in Rawalpindi which is only 6 kilometers away from Shakarparian.

The National Council for Conservation of Wildlife (NCCW) and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) opposed the project since its start and these organizations proposed the site for the construction of stadium in the jurisdiction of Margalla Hills National Park and this park is the violation of Islamabad wildlife including Preservation, Protection, Conservation and Management Ordinance 1979 and against the master plan of the city.

If they construct the cricket stadium on the proposed site, then they will have to cut thousands of trees and also remove the shrubs, flora and other greenery from about 15 acres. It is also said that there is sports center in Shakarparian and it is rarely used and it is idea of the new stadium. The idea of the new stadium is big mistake for the future of the city and funds for the project for 2 billion are at stake.