US going ahead with Pakistan’s mega embassy project despite public resentment .

[A1Kaid]

Only Press Tv appears to reporting this story.

 

[joekrish]

If true then Congratulations.

 

[acid rain]

on what basis you believe that, what kind of inside information do you have

Past news reports of the goingons.

 

[acid rain]

Just what is a "normal sized" embassy?

Not 56 acres that's for sure.

 

[VCheng]

Not 56 acres that's for sure.

Why not? A secure compound with its own open spaces would be a necessity given the law and order situation in Pakistan.

 

[firestorm77]

Only Press Tv appears to reporting this story.

ISLAMABAD: The United States embassy in Islamabad Friday launched construction work on its new eight-storey multipurpose compound spread over 43 acres of land in the federal capital, sources confirm.


“The work has been started. The construction machinery has already landed there at the site,” US embassy spokesperson Mark Stroh told APP.The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had approved the layout plan of the new embassy complex in mid-November, giving the go-ahead for construction work to begin.


Once completed, the new US embassy compound will be one of the biggest in the world, a senior CDA official said.The layout plan was approved during a meeting of the Design Vetting Committee chaired by Tahir Shamshad. Under the plan, the existing US embassy will be demolished in phases as the new building is constructed. Interestingly, under the newly approved Floor Area Ratio (FAR) the CDA has allowed construction over an area of 1.73 million square feet while the allowable FAR area is 5.627 square feet.


The new compound is expected to be equipped with the latest technology and solar heating system, and the project also consists of a sewage treatment plant as well as a water treatment facility.


The contract for the construction of the compound has been awarded to BL Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama on a design-and-build basis, while the design partner of the BLHI is the architectural engineering firm of Page Southerland Page of Arlington, Virginia.


The project comprises of two phases and will be completed by June 2017. According to a fact-sheet issued by the US embassy on the project, the new compound will replace all existing facilities and infrastructure on the current embassy ground.


The new US embassy will maintain all operations throughout the six-year period during which the project will be executed.“The NEC will provide an attractive, functional and secure facility for embassy employees and for US, Pakistani and third country citizens who use embassy services including visa applicants,” the fact-sheet states.


Furthermore, the two-phased construction program will also provide construction-related jobs to thousands of Pakistani workers.On the embassy’s request, the CDA has also allowed for a road to link the embassy with the Kashmir Highway; however the construction cost is expected to be borne by the beneficiary.


Regarding the height of the compound, an embassy spokesman said that they had yet to receive any objection on the height of the project; earlier this week, security agencies had expressed apprehension that surveillance devices installed in the compound may be used to observe activities in nearby high profile buildings on Constitution Avenue.


“The CDA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already given [the] go-head to us for the project. No one has ever approached us in this regard,” Stroh maintained.

Following objections raised by security agencies, the CDA was confused as to how it should deal with the issue since the embassy could drag the body to the International Court of Justice if the CDA called for reducing the height of the compound after having already given their approval.

According to the spokesman, the CDA is also planning to construct a ìMedia Cityî just opposite the under-construction US embassy that will comprise of two ten-storey towers to house print and electronic media organisations. Moreover, a 25-storey Grand Hyatt Hotel is also under-construction near the Convention Centre.

Source: thenews com pk

 

[acid rain]

P

Seems that the Indians have more concern for our country than some sold out Pakistanis. We do not need the americans in our country...hell nobody in the region needs them. We do not want them and their "aid". We don't want them to have any embassy of any sorts in Pakistan. We let the snakes in and now we are reaping the poisonous harvest.

You gave unhindered access to US 8ntelligence in the region, you gave them bases to operate out of, you joined them in destabilising various Asian countries in the region, your spy agency has tied up with theirs, you accept military aid and lease out services as mercenary forces, you enter into various ceato and cento kind of agreements with them, you are called as a major non nato ally, you operate international proxy groups and above all you are the one's who brought them into the region because of your shortcomings and your apprehensions...so yes, all your neighbors are worried.

 

[VCheng]

“The NEC will provide an attractive, functional and secure facility for embassy employees and for US, Pakistani and third country citizens who use embassy services including visa applicants,” the fact-sheet states.

This is good news indeed.

On the embassy’s request, the CDA has also allowed for a road to link the embassy with the Kashmir Highway; however the construction cost is expected to be borne by the beneficiary.

This is also good news to avoid traffic issues.

 

[Selous]

P


You gave unhindered access to US 8ntelligence in the region, you gave them bases to operate out of, you joined them in destabilising various Asian countries in the region, your spy agency has tied up with theirs, you accept military aid and lease out services as mercenary forces, you enter into various ceato and cento kind of agreements with them, you are called as a major non nato ally, you operate international proxy groups and above all you are the one's who brought them into the region because of your shortcomings and your apprehensions...so yes, all your neighbors are worried.

That was not a critique of Indians but of my own country men who have an inferiority complex and a slave mentality.

 

[illusion8]

Why not? A secure compound with its own open spaces would be a necessity given the law and order situation in Pakistan.

I like this new embassy, it's been cited as the "new" pentagon, one bigger than the white house according to PTI workers - the first one in Asia and Pakistan gets to host it.

I agree with the secure part though - especially when in the past the US embassy was burnt down in Pakistan in 1979, so fortified and camouflaged bunkers, 3 helipads, a small air strip, at least a thousand marines stationed and accommodations for at least 5000 staffers seem like overkill, though hard working US tax payers money is getting spent on this.

One obviously would raise doubts on the need for such an embassy, especially when there is news that the US will soon be upgrading it's embassies in Lahore and Peshawar too.

 

[VCheng]

I like this new embassy, it's been cited as the "new" pentagon - the first one in Asia and Pakistan gets to host it.

I agree with the secure part though - especially when in the past the US embassy was burnt down in Pakistan in 1979, so fortified and camouflaged bunkers, 3 helipads, a small air strip, at least a thousand marines stationed and accommodations for at least 5000 staffers seem like overkill, though hard working US tax payers money is getting spent on this.

One obviously would raise doubts on the need for such an embassy, especially when there is news that the US will soon be upgrading it's embassies in Lahore and Peshawar too.

USA has only one embassy in Pakistan. The other sites you mention are only consulates.

 

[illusion8]

USA has only one embassy in Pakistan. The other sites you mention are only consulates.

my bad, you are right - consulates.

 

[A1Kaid]

PM Nawaz Sharif and Pakistani parliament should take action against this.

 

[A.M.]

Awesome place from where you can spy on India, china, pakistan and Iran. Thank you pakistan for fvcking up this region again. You people will never learn!

If they wanted to spy, they can use the below:

1. The Embassy of the United States of America in Baghdad is the diplomatic mission of United States of America in the Republic of Iraq. At 104 acres (42 ha), it is the largest and most expensive embassy in the world, and is nearly as large as Vatican City.

 

[Derolo]

If they wanted to spy, they can use the below:

1. The Embassy of the United States of America in Baghdad is the diplomatic mission of United States of America in the Republic of Iraq. At 104 acres (42 ha), it is the largest and most expensive embassy in the world, and is nearly as large as Vatican City.

Thats more of a military base. 3000 marines were there before ISIS mess erupted. Now one can only imagine..