FO help sought for initiating probe against US embassy

CDA recently seized truckload of trees leaving under-construction site

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to seek permission from the foreign ministry for initiation of a formal inquiry into the alleged cutting of trees from the site of the under-construction US embassy compound at Diplomatic Enclave.

The move comes after the embassy administration denied city managers entry to the compound to ascertain facts as part of an ongoing internal fact-finding inquiry into the issue, said CDA Environment Director-General Sheikh Suleman.

The US government is currently undertaking the $1 billion US Embassy expansion project in Islamabad.



On August 26 --- a day when the CDA started its Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign for this year --- CDA staffers in the presence of Islamabad Police intercepted a truckload of chopped trees when the vehicle was leaving the site of the US embassy compound.

Read: Pakistan suspects US may be illegally cutting down trees in capital

The authority initially estimated the value of the chopped trees at Rs2.5 million.

“Felled trees were confiscated by the authority, besides a Rs30,000 fine on the person who identified himself as a representative of the project’s contractor,” Suleman said.

The authority’s environment wing staffers deputed in the area were also suspended along with the imitation of an inquiry into the issue.

“As part of the ongoing inquiry, CDA requires to visit the site to charge-sheet its suspended officials,” the official said, adding despite repeated requests the embassy administration has not allowed CDA to inspect the premises.

Seeing the situation, it has now been decided to seek the Foreign Office’s intervention.

CDA spokesperson Ramzan Sajid informed The Express Tribune that the authority had received a written request from the US embassy where they sought permission to chop some 98 trees needed to be removed to pave way for the building as per the approved layout plan of the under-construction compound.

“The request was under process with the CDA when the incident happened,” Sajid shared.

He said a no-objection certificate from CDA is required before cutting down any tree(s) under civic laws governing the capital.

He refused to further comment saying the matter was under investigation.

A few days ago, in a report in a US newspaper (The Washington Post), an unnamed US embassy official was quoted saying “We understand that a contractor associated with the construction of the new embassy compound in Islamabad attempted to remove one truckload of felled trees from the construction without the required NOC, and the CDA has since fined the contractor. The US Embassy has not removed any trees from the construction site without a permit.”

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According to the US State Department website, the new embassy will be situated on 43 acres. The project, which will be completed in phases, involves construction of a chancery building, office annex, support services annex, warehouse, utility building, ambassador’s residence, consular annex, staff housing apartments, a parking structure and embassy community.

Construction on the project commenced in 2011. While the first phase of the project has completed, the second phase is scheduled to complete in early 2018.

The existing embassy is located over an area of 38 acres.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2015.