Parks and recreation

Parks and playgrounds are essential for the growth and promotion of positive and healthy activities in society. From a public health perspective, parks provide three primary benefits to cities. They contribute ecological services, foster social and personal well-being and facilitate physical activity through active recreation. Sadly, the state of our parks and playground has deteriorated and are in a woeful and deplorable condition. Even in Islamabad this issue continues to persist and no-one has been caring for the regular maintenance and upkeep of our beloved parks. A classic example of this is the hockey ground in the G-9/3 sector and the I -8/3 sector park in front of the FBISE in Islamabad. Garbage has been piling up in and around them and there is no cleaning drive being held to fix up these parks amongst countless others. The CDA has hired several employees for these parks and playgrounds, but what they do and where are they? The concerned authorities must visit these parks and playgrounds to get to the bottom of this. With the exception of a few parks which are maintained by local communities like the Kachinar Park in the I-8/3 sector by the FKP, all other parks are desolate and are in a miserable state of affairs.

I vividly remember that in the past in Sindh, the irrigation department and Pakistan Railways used to have well-developed and well-designed parks with attractive scenery and these parks used to draw a great number of visitors. Intellectuals used to have literary gatherings and other productive activities in those parks, but unfortunately such parks have either vanished or are in a dilapidated condition. Where do the allocated funds go? It is easy to guess in this corrupt society of ours. We have also national parks in this country, but unfortunately few people visit them. An overwhelming amount of evidence of mismanagement is visible in them. Adequate funds must be poured into the upkeep and expansion of these existing parks and their beautification. Above all, judicious utilization of funds must be monitored by the concerned authorities to ensure that they go towards their intended purpose and are not squandered.

Hashim Abro

Islamabad