Embassies next door: Foreign Office seeks more time to shift missions

Informs Supreme Court via CDA that officials busy with 23rd march arrangements.

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office has sought more time from the Supreme Court over the shifting of foreign embassies from residential sectors to the Diplomatic Enclave.

“As regards clearance of roads and footpaths blocked by embassies, the Foreign Affairs director has intimated that the chief of protocol is engaged with the diplomatic community and state guests in connection with the March 23 parade. He has requested more time to complete the task due to his engagements,” the Capital Development Authority (CDA) stated in a report submitted before the SC.

The Diplomatic Enclave in Sector G-5, according to the report, houses 43 embassies and high commissions, and is totally closed for the general public.

The embassies of Norway, Denmark, Kuwait, Sudan, Hungary, Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, Greece, Czech Republic, Philippines, Libya, Portugal, Turkmenistan, and Oman have blocked roads, streets and footpaths in different areas.

Meanwhile, Attaturk Avenue, Margalla Road, 3rd and 4th Avenues, and School Road have also been blocked at different points.

The court was also informed that the Diplomatic Enclave is a designated area for the establishment of foreign missions. The report says that only 36 countries have completed construction of their embassies in the enclave, while seven embassy buildings are under construction, and 21 plots are still vacant. The list of embassies operating in residential areas has been referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for proceeding in line with the necessary rules and regulations.

The report further said that the CDA has allotted additional land to the embassies of three countries — the United States, China and Saudi Arabia.

It explains that the USA Embassy got additional land in 2010, while the Chinese Embassy was allotted land for residences and allied facilities in 2008. The Saudi embassy was allotted an additional 2.45 acres in 2008.

The CDA has also revealed that the Directorate of Municipal Administration and the CDA Enforcement director are issuing notices to institutions which have set up encroachments due to security concerns and have advised them to submit requests to get licenses or permission for their encroachments. Blockades in the federal capital have been placed, among others, by the police, ISI, IB, FIA and Rangers.

The report says that action against non-confirming land use has been accelerated by the CDA management over the past 18 months.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22^nd, 2015.