By Musarrat Ullah Jan
In Pakistan, some buildings are constructed not only with bricks, cement, and steel, but also with promises, optimism, and government press releases. Their grand openings feature ribbon-cutting ceremonies, photo opportunities, and official speeches. Yet only a few years later, they are left with nothing but dust, silence, and neglect. The Hassan Khel Sports Complex is one of those projects.
Built at a cost of millions of rupees, the complex has all the facilities expected of a modern sports venue. It includes a basketball court, badminton court, football ground, athletics track, and an administrative block. On paper, everything required to promote sport is there. Only one thing is missing: sport itself. It is a sports complex where the “complex” remains, but the sports have disappeared.
There was a time when this facility was expected to become a hub for young athletes, local competitions, and community events. Like many government projects, however, the vision faded once the construction was completed. Today, a visit to Hassan Khel Sports Complex feels less like entering a sporting venue and more like exploring an abandoned site. Broken windows, damaged doors, neglected buildings, and silent grounds tell the story of years of neglect. The administrative block stands as if waiting for someone to explain why it was built in the first place.
Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the complex is the complete absence of management. There is no permanent District Sports Officer, no Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO), no dedicated administration, and seemingly no one responsible for even routine maintenance. The facility appears to have been left to decay on its own.
According to sources, the last known visit by a District Sports Officer took place nearly four years ago. Since then, either the file has been closed or the project has simply been forgotten. Official visits often follow a familiar pattern: inspections are conducted, photographs are taken, instructions are issued, and then everything disappears into government files. Meanwhile, the young people of Hassan Khel continue to wait for the day when tournaments will be organized, coaches will arrive, teams will be formed, and the grounds will once again come alive. For now, waiting itself has become the only game being played.
The real question is not why the complex is deteriorating. The real question is why, after spending millions of public rupees, no one has bothered to assess whether the project has delivered any benefit to the community. Too often, development follows a predictable formula: approve the project, complete the construction, hold the inauguration, publish the photographs, issue the statements, and move on to the next scheme. Asking what became of the previous project is often treated as an inconvenience.
If buildings could speak, Hassan Khel Sports Complex would ask difficult questions. Why were millions spent to build me if no sporting activities followed? Why are my grounds empty? Why are my doors broken? Where are those responsible for protecting this public investment? Buildings, however, remain silent, and that silence often becomes another official success story.
The issue extends far beyond a single sports complex. Sports development is not achieved by constructing buildings alone. It requires capable management, qualified coaches, regular competitions, proper maintenance, and opportunities for young athletes. Without these, even the most expensive facilities become monuments to wasted public resources.
Hassan Khel Sports Complex still stands. Perhaps it is still waiting for someone to unlock its gates, restore its facilities, and bring life back to its empty grounds. Until then, only one game appears to be in progress: passing responsibility from one office to another.
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