Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Over 30 sports grounds have been put on brink of disaster due to lack of attention by Sports, Culture and Tourism Directorate (SCTD) of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in federal capital.

Well placed sources told Daily Times that the SCTD was set up by the CDA to extend sports and recreational facilities to the inhabitants of Islamabad. This directorate is manned by one Deputy Director General (DDG), 4 directors, 8 deputy directors and a large number of subordinate staff.

Despite having a battalions of employees, this directorate looks dysfunctional and in other terms a white elephant on the resources of the CDA which is swallowing million of rupees in the name of perks and privileges but is going redundant.

As many as 30 sports grounds constructed on land valuing billions of rupees in federal capital but they are wearing deserting look for want of proper look after and upkeep by the respective CDA directorate.

The citizens have voiced strong protest over immense apathy being demonstrated by SCTD and it is lending deaf ears.

Open air theatre Shakarparian and Art and Craft Village which were built out of hard earned money of public to introduce Pakistani culture and extend recreational facilities to people have also turned into a waste land for the visitors. No function is organized at government level therein and only a solitary programme in the name of Margalla Festival is held every year to befool the people. In fact these billion of rupees projects have lost their meaning and utility.

Entertainment departments and event management companies are taking mileage from this situation and they are arranging different cultural and recreational programs for the citizens by paying rent to CDA.

Sources told Daily Times that tourism wing is also operating under SCTD but this seems to have been set up only to disburse huge salaries to its employees as no work worth the name in the perspective of tourism has been done. The lone train which was purchased at the cost of millions of rupees for tourists visit in federal capital is lying out of order since long and it has been stationed in tourism wing at Rose and Jasmine Garden permanently.

When contacted, it was told from SCTD to Daily Times that non availability of funds and shortage of staff is coming on the way of improving efficiency and performance and chairman CDA has been written letters for several times on this count but no positive response has been received. However, SCTD is striving hard to show better performance within its limited resources.