US embassy extends its premises to 8.5 acres of land

Spokesperson denies claims that construction funds are coming out of aid.

ISLAMABAD:

As the number of US embassy employees soars, so does the need to facilitate them. The US mission in the capital is extending its premises to 8.5 acres of land to accommodate embassy staff, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Sources in the Foreign Office said that the additional part of the US mission is next to the existing premises and the construction is ongoing. “One of the reasons for the need to develop or extend the embassy is to facilitate the increasing number of US employees coming to Pakistan,” said a source.

A western diplomat said that huge containers were spotted entering the US embassy: “I thought post the Osama bin Laden scenario, their work here is done and they are packing and moving. Later on, I came to know that they are extending their office.”

According to the source, containers are coming in twice or thrice a week and this exercise has been ongoing for a few years now. Diplomats are allowed diplomatic bags or pouches of 100 kilogrammes and do not include cartons and containers. Under the Vienna Convention, a no-objection certificate is required for any construction material to enter the country and its clearance from the Foreign Office is necessary.

The official said that the funds for the construction of the embassy are coming out of the US aid which is flowing into Pakistan. However, the spokesperson of the US embassy Alberto Rodriguez denied that and stated that the funds for the construction are separate and have nothing to do with the aid.

“The money for construction is approved by the US government and has nothing to do with the Kerry-Lugar Bill or any other form of aid,” he said. The spokesperson further said that the US mission building was old and the plan to re-construct the building was decided and approved years ago. He added that that new building will have a cafeteria, apartments for the embassy staff and a new office building.

Meanwhile, source said that rules of Pakistan are being blatantly violated by the US embassy staff with activities such as travelling in vehicles with fake number plates and getting things out of the aircraft with permission to going through customs and checks without scanning and checking.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2011.