Karachi: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has handed over Karachi’s Askari Park to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
“The park was given to the defense agencies to protect it from commercial activities,” Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked at a hearing at the top court’s Karachi Registry Monday. “But wedding halls and markets are being run there.”
The park’s counsel tried to assure the court that commercial activities on the land have been ended. “It [Askari Park] was given to us under an agreement,” he said.
Justice Qazi Amin remarked that the military has an important responsibility of protecting the country. “Let them do their job. Keep them out of these things. They haven’t even been able to manage the park anyway.”
The court, consequently, instructed KMC to immediately restore and reopen the park for the public, and abolish its entry fees. “Set up new rides. Demolish the wedding halls and shops inside [the park].”
The 17-acre amusement park is located in the city’s Old Sabzi Mandi.
