All relevant departments seem to have come to an agreement and a decision has been taken to establish the first cricket stadium in Islamabad. The project for building a stadium in the capital city has been pending for nearly a decade now.
According to reports, after several discussions, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) allowing it to construct a cricket stadium in the city.
The MoU states that 35 acres of land at Shakarparian has been allotted to the PCB for the cricket stadium.
Following the completion of the project and the construction of the stadium, CDA will be entitled to 30 percent while the cricket board will get the remaining 70 percent of the earnings through domestic and international games at the stadium.
At present, there is no state-owned cricket stadium or academy in the capital city and all local matches or trainings are carried out at Diamond Club ground or any other club-owned stadiums.
Last year, CDA revoked the PCB’s lease for the construction of the stadium and refused to issue an NOC. In 2008, CDA had allotted 40 acres of land to the PCB for 33 years. PCB made no attempt to construct a stadium for the next five years which forced CDA to cancel the allotted land.
Initial plans suggested that the stadium will have a seating capacity of 50,000 people, a cricket academy, a five star hotel and other related facilities.
Valid Concerns Against the Stadium
The Islamabad cricket stadium has received a lot of negative criticism over the location of the project. Shakarparian is the central forest area of the capital and is often referred to as the “heart of the city”. With deforestation already taking its toll on the capital in the shape of increasing temperatures and dropping water levels, establishment of a stadium in the forest area has been rejected by the people.
Former ICC President, Ehsan Mani, has rejected the idea of a stadium in Islamabad. He says:
“Islamabad does not have a big population and doesn’t need a big stadium which will become a white elephant. [Large stadiums] are often economically nonviable and difficult to maintain.”
Mani believes that building a stadium in Shakarparian will cause irrevocable damage to the federal capital and immensely damage the environment. The former ICC official says that if the board wants a bigger stadium it should upgrade the Pindi Stadium which is just 6km away from Shakarparian.
The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and the National Council for Conservation of Wildlife (NCCW) have opposed the project from the start. According to these organisations, the proposed site for the stadium falls in the jurisdiction of Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) and such a project is a violation of Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Ordinance 1979 as well as violation of the city’s master plan.
Construction of this stadium is said to result in the felling of thousands of trees and about 15 acres of shrubs, flora and other greenery.
It has been argued that there is already a sports centre in Shakarparian, which is rarely put to any use, therefore the idea of a new stadium is huge mistake considering the future of the city and the project funding (Rs. 2 billion) at stake.
Islamabad’s sports activities are zero to none
I live in Isb and that is not true. Yes, compared to other cities our sports activities may seem less but its definitely not ‘ zero to none’.
well i don’t see anything here, everything is happening in RawalPindi, but not in ISB
First improve the current stadiums we have, just visit National Stadium Karachi, Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad and Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar they are already good for nothing when we compare them with modern stadiums. Plus we need a stadium in Northern Areas of the Pakistan because this is the only way to promote tourism and the beauty of our regions.
Sorry to inform you that :
PCB didn’t have enough money to upgrade current stadium
PCB have much more money to prepare a New Statidum Wo Bhi in ISALAMAD Main !
kia accent hai bhai :D
“New Statidum Wo Bhi in ISALAMAD Main”
accent ? hahaha
???
Hahaha. Well said. Not enough money to upgrade. But for the new stadium :p Lol
Yes in skardu promote tourism
Bad move.. As mentioned, they should upgrade Pindi stadium since it’s just 6km away. And enough with this deforestation we already don’t have many trees.
Absolutely improve/upgrade Pindi stadium and others.
Specially National Stadium !
Finally we get a Cricket Stadium.
Islamabad Wale Waise Bhi 9Baje So Jate hai :
Kiya Faida Stadium Ka :p
Abdul bhaye na bolen aese ;((
Me to pooray 9 baj kr 5 min pr soota hun xD
kyun stadium mai 9 bjay kai baad hee matches hutay hain
Good Appreciated :
50,000 People to Normal Stadium Hai At Least World Biggest Capacity Stadium Banana Chahyeh :
Expense to Ek Bar Karo
& Match K Din Flight, Bus, Train & Stadium Ki Tickets Saste Daam Hona Chahyeh
o bhai kis qisam ka ghaas khaaty ho?
Alfalfa
hahaha..!
Imported
Chichawatni Se Imported?
Ap prime minister bane hum ate hai ap ko vote dene… LAME ?
Another redundant project for all of 3 Isloo-ites…. FFS
So you want to say that we shouldn’t be building new stadiums ? 30 40 saal purana hi use krte rahen saari saddi bhaye ?
here comes the hate, ISB nai aap ka kia bigara hai
No hate bruh! I LOURVEEE ISLOO. sachi..
Dear content writer please review the cover image before posting it. Cover images shows football stadium and article is about cricket stadium.
hahahaha!
Its Islamabad Sports Complex not a football stadium
Admin understand what I want to acknowledge and changed the image
I am just pointing out that its Islamabad Sports Complex and was still relevant since the new stadium will be built beside it.
Soon Islamabad will lose its greenery and became like other ordinary cities of Pakistan… Islamabad was special but corruption is destroying it day by day..
The selected location doesn’t justify the need of having a separate stadium since Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is just next to it (within few Kms).
TRULY PATHETIC IDEA, UPGRADE PINDI STADIUM WHICH IS AT JOINING POINT OF TWIN CITIES. NO NEED OF A NEW STADIUM IN TWIN CITIES. THE ONLY BENEFIT IS FOR THOSE WHO WILL LOOT MONEY OUT OF IT, SECONDLY, 35 ACRES OF LAND WILL BE BARE , WHICH CURRENTLY HAS TREES ON IT. ISLAMABAD HAS ALREADY BEEN BARED TO A NAKED CITY IN LAST 10 YRS, IT WILL BE ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN. STRONGLY CONDEMN AND DISAGREE,
This is a good move.
If they really have to make a stadium, why damage Islamabad’s signature greenery, beauty and wildlife? Simply build somewhere near the New Islamabad Airport. Better for security anyways.
Totally insane, What about the damage to ecosystem and the wild life? Islamabad has already been raped by the projects like Metro Bus and road infrastructure. Now a stadium in Shakkarparian. Let’s just cut down all the trees and wait for death.