Park encroachment

According to media reports, the Federal Ministry of Capital Administration and Development (CADD) intends to acquire the landed area of the Argentina Park in Islamabad from the CDA to upgrade the F G Polyclinic. This initiative is neither fair nor justified because a) the landed area presently in use and possession of the polyclinic may be good enough for any future expansion; b) hospitals and recreational facilities are equally essential; c) the Argentina Park was created in line with the parameters of the Master Plan/CDA by-laws.

No law therefore empowers either the CDA or CADD to deviate those parameters and deprive the area people of a civic facility being provided to them since the 1960s. Also, whenever a mega project like this is proposed to be launched it is necessary for planners to identify a site which is free from all encumbrances. Amazingly, the CADD did not bother to look at other options in this case, otherwise it could select a suitable site within the precincts of the NIH. The Ministry of CADD is therefore requested to disallow utilising the Argentina Park land area for constructing the hospital building.

M Sharafat Ali Zia

Islamabad