Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium Renovations Omit Mosque, Sparks Concerns About Prayers for Players and Staff

Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium Renovations Omit Mosque, Sparks Concerns About Prayers for Players and Staff
Musarrat Ullah jan

In a controversial move, the mosque at Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium, which had been a place of prayer for players, staff, and visitors for over fourteen years, has been omitted from the recent renovations and will not be rebuilt.
More than a decade ago, renowned players Kabir Khan, Wajahat Wasti, Fazal Akbar, and Yasir Hameed contributed to the construction of the mosque at Arbab Niaz Stadium, where daily prayers were offered. Cricket academy players and those attending matches also used this sacred space for prayer.

However, during the recent renovations of the stadium costing billions of rupees, the mosque was surprisingly left out of the plans. According to sources from the sports directorate, the mosque was intentionally removed from the project by the person responsible for its preparation, and no alternative space was allocated for prayer in the Hayatabad Sports Complex.

Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium is the only international standard ground in Peshawar, and its seating capacity is set to increase from 19,000 to 35,000 as part of the renovations. The project, initially budgeted at Rs 4 billion, experienced delays, subject to funding. The total cost has risen to Rs 2 billion.

With the removal of the mosque, concerns arise about where players, staff, and visitors will pray during international matches held at the stadium. The absence of a mosque in the cricket grounds poses a serious issue for those who rely on it as a place of worship.

The cricket community and concerned citizens are calling on the authorities to address this matter urgently and ensure that a place of prayer is reinstated within the stadium premises.