ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has told the Supreme Court that it will remove barricades and road blocks erected by certain embassies in the name of security after March 23.

The chief of protocol, foreign office, which deals with the foreign missions, is currently busy making arrangements to ensure participation of the diplomatic community/state guests in March 23 parade, hence the delay, said a report submitted by the CDA in the apex court.

The report said a few diplomatic missions had voluntarily removed the barriers.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja is hearing a case relating to the use of residential houses for commercial purposes as well as encroachments and road blocks erected by the government offices, private residences as well as some embassies located in the residential sectors of the capital city.

On the request of the CDA, the officer concerned of the foreign office had already issued letters to all embassies/diplomatic missions to immediately shift their offices or residences in their respective premises allotted to them inside the Diplomatic Enclave.

If they have been allotted plots in the enclave but they have not started construction, they are requested to commence construction without any further delay, the report said.

At the last hearing on March 17, the Supreme Court had ordered the CDA to submit a comprehensive report specifying when the six embassies/international agencies will relocate its facilities to the plots allotted to them inside the diplomatic enclave in Sector G-5.

A few diplomatic missions have voluntarily removed the barriers

The total number of foreign missions in Islamabad is 64 of which 36 are functional inside the properly constructed buildings in the Diplomatic Enclave whereas seven embassies are being constructed or expanded.

But 21 foreign missions have plots in the diplomatic area but their embassies still being run in different residential sectors.

The CDA report explained that the US embassy was still under construction inside the special zone because they were allotted additional land during 2010.

The CDA report said that the Chinese embassy was also under construction inside the special zone because they were also allotted additional land for residence and allied facilities in 2008.

Same is the case with the office of the Saudi Military Attache which was allotted additional land of 2.45 acres in 2008 for office-cum-residence.

The Saudi embassy was also allotted an additional seven acres during 2012 of which two acres is reserved for residential apartments whereas rest of the five for school purposes.

Meanwhile Austria is running its embassy in Sector F-8/2 because the construction on the plot allotted in the Diplomatic Enclave has yet to commence.

The Supreme Court will commence the hearing again in the first week of April.

Published in Dawn March 22nd , 2015

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