Islamabad, Aug 23 (IANS): Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Pakistan's Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), has defended the construction of a ‘luxury club, terming it a sports facility that had been established on the federal governments directive after obtaining approval of environmental experts.

Abbasi in a written report submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday asserted that the National Water Sports Centre (NWSC) was "neither a club in the traditional sense nor is it a commercial enterprise", reports Dawn news.

While allowing naval officials to resume maintenance and repair of boats, the IHC had recently extended its stay order against all commercial activities in the club till September 9.

The present structure is only an upgraded version of what had been established some 25 years ago.

As per the naval chief, the upgrade of the facilities to the international standard would help in tapping young talented men and women in the north and training them in water sports to compete at international level thereby bringing laurels to the country.