22 foreign missions told to shift to diplomatic enclave

Interior Ministry has served notices to 22 embassies operating in residential areas including Austria, Argentina, Cuba, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam and South Africa and directed them to shift to the diplomatic enclave. These foreign missions were issued the first notice three years back but they appear to have ignored it entirely, well placed sources in Interior Ministry revealed to Business Recorder on Thursday.
The embassies who were served notices are Austria, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, European Commission, Argentina, Cuba, Czech Republic, Iraq, Jordan, Behrain, Brunei Darussalam, Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Palestine, South Africa, Somali Republic, Tajikistan, Tunisia and Yemen, Ministry sources said, adding that they were asked to shift to diplomatic enclave, but they do not appear to have made an effort to shift to the safer place.
At present 54 embassies are located in residential areas in G-6, F-6, E-7, F-7, F-8, F-10 and F-11 and it costs the Capital Police considerable manpower to provide comprehensive security to these missions. These missions are an easy target for terrorists outside the enclave. However, they can be provided comprehensive security in diplomatic enclave, sources said.
Out of a total of 54 foreign missions, 32 have responded to notices and approached the Capital Development Authority (CDA) through Foreign Office to obtain plots in the Diplomatic Enclave. These embassies and foreign missions are Norway, Sweden, Australia, Denmark, Brazil, Romania, Hungary, Belgium, Algeria, Italy, Ukraine, Holland, Portugal, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Malaysia, Sudan, Oman, Libya, Afghanistan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Korea, Republic of Northern Cyprus, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Finland and Latvia.
All 32 applications of embassies were processed and after final approval these 32 missions were allotted land in the diplomatic enclave for construction of their embassies, sources said, adding that out of 32 countries which were allotted land in diplomatic enclave, 16 countries have started construction of their embassies. Shifting of embassies to the diplomatic enclave would not only help in providing better security to diplomats but would also help save huge money incurred on provision of security to these missions.
CDA Planning Division when contacted confirmed that 16 embassies have submitted their site plans to CDA for approval and they have started construction of buildings. Sixteen embassies including Libya, Oman, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Kenya have started construction while Netherlands, Azerbaijan and Italy have completed construction and are expected to shift shortly.
CDA sources said because of the prevailing law and order situation in the country, unprecedented security arrangements had been made for the foreign missions, which are creating problems for people of Islamabad. Government is spending billions of rupees for the protection, safety and security of foreign missions and other offices established in Islamabad, they said. To facilitate this process the CDA had allocated 700 acres land for establishment of new diplomatic enclave, sources further revealed, adding that the commercial use of residential buildings was a violation of CDA's building by-laws.
The existing Diplomatic Enclave houses over 40 embassies. The new Diplomatic Enclave will accommodate over 50 foreign missions, offices and residences of diplomats, CDA sources said, adding that CDA had so far not launched any mega operation against commercial use of residential buildings or Non Confirming Use (NCU) because of some legal constraints.