Diplomatic ‘extensions’: In city’s most secured area, encroachments abound

At least 19 embassies in Diplomatic Enclave have encroached upon land, survey shows.


Danish Hussain December 15, 2014

ISLAMABAD:


Encroachments under the garb of ‘security measures’ are not just limited to foreign missions housed in residential areas.


Within the highly-fortified Diplomatic Enclave, a number of patches of land have been encroached by foreign missions to reduce their vulnerability to terrorist acts.

Documents available with The Express Tribune says as many as 19 embassies inside the enclave have erected security structures beyond the permissible limits and the “issue has been conveyed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for further action”, according to a senior Foreign Office official requesting anonymity.

Many of these ‘security’ encroachments are parking areas and visitor seating areas.

The US embassy, according to the document, is occupying right-of-way of Road 2 in the enclave by erecting a fence and sheds for parking. The embassy has also occupied right-of-way of University Road for another parking lot.

The embassy of Saudi Arabia is stated to have encroached upon a significant portion of a vacant plot on the east side of the Saudi ambassador’s residence on Isphahani Road.

The British High Commission is cited for occupying streets 3 and 7 by erecting security barriers outside their property limits. Similarly, portions of street 4 of Jamal Abdul Nasir Road, a green area near the high commission, and plots in street 4 have also been encroached, the document says.

The document states that the Indian High Commission has encroached street 3 by building a fence and a parking shed.

A few years ago, the Capital Development Authority, after requests from the Foreign Office, had allowed several foreign missions to install moveable security walls along the outer boundary walls of embassies. But many embassies installed the walls well beyond the permissible limits and also set up parking areas and other facilities on the encroached space.

The document says that the embassies of France, Japan, and Switzerland all obtained permission for erection of T-wall barrier security walls, but they violated the terms and conditions by installing these structures beyond the permissible limits and encroaching upon the right-of-way of the Constitution Avenue.

Similarly, the Canadian High Commission has erected a T-wall and barriers outside the high commission in street 11, while Street 7 has been encroached with an extended fence and entrance arrangements.

The German embassy and the Nigerian High Commission have erected security walls beyond the permissible limits along the South Service Road of Isphahani Road. The embassy of Turkey has established parking sheds by occupying areas in streets 2 and 3.

The contractor building the new Malaysian embassy has established a site office without obtaining permission and by encroaching street 8.

The Myanmar High Commission and the South Korean embassy have also encroached land adjacent to their buildings on Constitution Avenue and street 26 respectively, while the Italian embassy has extended parking sheds and sitting areas for visitors by encroaching on the University Road area.

Meanwhile, the documents say that the Australian High Commission has illegally rented out its plot on Isphahani Road in Diplomatic Enclave for the establishment of the United Nations offices. The UN offices are in turn cited for encroaching street 26 by raising security walls and parking sheds.

Besides foreign missions, the World Food Programme (WFP) office has been occupying the parking area of a community centre and a plot meant for the construction of a shopping centre in street 7 of the enclave.

A senior Foreign Office staffer said these details were the findings of a CDA survey. He said the foreign ministry would serve notices on the violators in light of the CDA’s findings and subsequent complaints.

CDA spokesperson Asim Khichi said he was not familiar with the exact details of the violations or the number of violators, but explained that the CDA could not directly take any action against foreign missions due to diplomatic rules. Khichi said the issue would be brought to the notice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for further action.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2014.

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