‘Diplomatic enclave’ in Peshawar considered

Foreign diplomats’ residences, offices to be moved to one location. PHOTO: APP/FILE

PESHAWAR: In a bid to upgrade security for foreign diplomats, authorities are planning on constructing a diplomatic enclave in the provincial capital to avoid terrorist attacks on sensitive installations and personnel of diplomatic missions.

Law enforcement agencies have not only been providing them with pilot squads but also with foolproof security at both their offices and residences.

Although it takes only a few minutes to block
roads during their movement, roads leading to the offices and residences of these officials have been permanently blocked – creating significant traffic bottlenecks.

Sources in the Home and Tribal Affairs Department of Khyber-Pakhtukhwa (K-P) told The Express Tribune that the department has initiated correspondence with the ministry of foreign affairs
to provide offices and residents to all the officials of UN agencies and diplomatic missions at a separate location to avoid terrorist attacks.

“The prevailing situation has added to complexity for law enforcing agencies to secure scattered offices and residential facilities of foreign missions,” sources said adding that the diplomatic missions were located in various residential areas since there was no dedicated arrangement in the metropolis to house them.

It was disclosed that a high level meeting in this regard had discussed changing the location of all UN agencies and diplomatic missions and Hayatabad was considered a suitable location.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2012.