Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi District Administration has failed to open lone Public Park for recreation of people of Rawalpindi city which was closed for people after worst bomb blast Gulshan e Iqbal Park Lahore which claimed more than 72 lives and left dozens other injured.

Nawaz Sharif Park, the only park providing entertainment to people of Rawalpindi city besides a place where people in large number are coming for walk and jogging regularly.

The park was closed for public after the worst terrorist attack in Gulshan e Iqbal Park one of the busiest public parks located in Lahore, for security reasons but after passage of about a month government has failed to arrange proper security measures in the park.

The District Government closed the park for one week only with the claim to ensure proper security arrangements alongside construction of proper boundary wall and installation of walk-through gates and cameras, the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) claimed at the time of closure.

They were of the view that police officials would be deployed at main entrances of the park while more than 10 private armed security guards will be deployed in the park for internal security.

They also said that a strategy would be devised for small parks in residential colonies in the city w9ith the active support and consultation of the residents.

After a month passed not a single action was taken and all claims of the administration proved false.

The Director General Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Dr Abid Malik, while talking to this scribe said that park was opened for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening to facilitate the people coming for walk. He said security arrangements of the park are being improved and till completion of all arrangements the park would not be opened completely.

Meanwhile, people who are regular visitors of the park termed the available facilities in the park totally below the standard and said that fence around the park is damaged and people are using the damaged areas for easy entry in the park. These damaged are open invitation to terrorists and miscreants.

They said PHA has dug the park land for establishment of nurseries which has reduced the parks for people.

People are reluctant to come in the parks as there are no security arrangements nor is there any arrangement to remove the garbage.