IHC sets aside CDA's restriction, allows NCC to play cricket at National Cricket Ground

ISLAMABAD - Justice Athar Minallah of the Islamabad High Court has ordered Capital Development Authority (CDA) to allow cricketers belonging to National Cricket Club to play cricket at the National Cricket Ground in Sector F-7/3 Islamabad.

The cricketers and the National Cricket Club, including its President Shabbir Ahmad, have filed a constitutional petition 932/2017 through Yasser Latif Hamdani, Advocate High Court, and Barrister Omer Azad Malik, Advocate High Court, before the Islamabad High Court challenging the CDA’s decision to seal the National Cricket Ground and dispossess the cricket club of the ground.

Justice Minallah observed that the nature of amenity plots could not be arbitrarily changed.

The petitioners through the legal team of Yasser Latif Hamdani and Omer Azad Malik argued that the decision of CDA to stop cricketers from playing cricket at a public cricket ground was in negation of the constitutional fundamental rights under Article 9 and Article 26 of the Constitution.

Yasser Latif Hamdani argued that Article 26 of the Constitution allows every member of the public unfettered access to public parks and grounds.  He further argued that denying this fundamental right was detrimental to the careers of professional cricketers who were part of the National Cricket Club.

The next hearing is scheduled to take place on  27 March 2017.