ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board has sought detailed clarification from the Capital Development Authority regarding the proposed construction of a cricket stadium near sector D Twelve at the foothills of Margalla Hills National Park. The request follows the recent advertisement issued by the CDA inviting bids for the project under the EPC mode.
According to officials, the wildlife board has formally asked the CDA to share the exact location and layout plan of the proposed stadium to determine whether the site falls within or near the protected boundaries of Margalla Hills National Park. An official from the CDA environment wing confirmed that the authority has received the letter and is preparing a response.
In its communication, the wildlife board highlighted provisions of the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act 2024. The law defines a one hundred meter buffer zone outside national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as a protected area where development is strictly regulated to minimise disturbance to wildlife. Any construction within this zone requires a prior no objection certificate from the board.
The board stated that the requested information is essential to ensure compliance with environmental and land use regulations before the project can be processed further. It also sought a location map and layout plan to safeguard the natural habitat of Margalla Hills and surrounding protected areas.
CDA officials maintained that the proposed site does not fall within the national park but is located in Zone Three under the ICT zoning regulations. They said Zone Three allows recreational projects and that a cricket stadium qualifies as a permissible recreational facility. Allied facilities may also be approved subject to federal government permission.
The CDA plans to develop the stadium in collaboration with the Pakistan Cricket Board as part of a proposed Olympic Village spread over one hundred seventy five acres. The stadium is expected to have a seating capacity of around thirty two thousand spectators. Officials clarified that the wildlife board has not objected to the project but has only sought clarification to ensure legal and environmental compliance.
