The Supreme Court has sought a reply from the government for the expansion of the US embassy and construction of a 7-storey hotel in the embassy building within a month.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan on Monday said that the “hotel cannot be constructed in the embassy building. Those who have come here on diplomatic mission should respect national and international laws. The government should check if the construction of hotel in embassy is legal or illegal”.
Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Sohail Ahmad told the court that the Interior Ministry has no objection over the expansion of the US embassy building. Both the countries have cordial ties and the expansion has been allowed in the light of the amiable relations.
Petitioner Zafar Ullah of Watan Party told the court that besides expanding the embassy building, a 7-storey hotel with three basements has been constructed in violation of law. “The government has allotted 2-million square feet land to the US embassy and organizations such as Blackwater will operate from the US embassy if it were allowed.”
DAG said the petitioner has filed a petition while relying on clippings of newspapers. He lacks requisite information regarding the law.