The new US consulate in Karachi…
Since my previous post incited a lot of confusion about the location and whereabouts of the new American consulate, let me clear all doubts.
The new American Consulate
The new American consulate was an unwelcome neighbour in most locations. It was previously proposed to be constructed near the Karachi Grammar School on Boat Basin. However, its security headaches prompted local area residents to sue for having it not built in their neighbourhoods. Consequently, it is now being constructed at the junction between M. T. Khan road and the Mai Kolachee bypass. If you pass by there and see two tall construction cranes, that is the site. I am highlighting the location in the satellite image below.
It so happens that this location falls on my daily route so I have been able to observe the stages of its construction from day 1. The construction activity is being carried out jointly with a Turkish firm. The structure has two perimeter walls, an outer brick wall with barbed wire on top, and an inner wall. The building structure itself is very solidly constructed with even the walls of the building being built of steeel re-enforced concrete — in order to make it bomb proof. The location itself is not very cleverly chosen since KPT just constructed a flyover in the vicinity which can give an aerial view inside the perimeter of the compound. Not to mention, it is located at the junction of two critical arteries of the city.
The residential block?
Nevertheless, the American government has been given a generous amount of land here so they can construct offices as well as residences for their officials in Karachi. However, they should now try to be good neighbours and avoid being a burden on Karachi’s citizens. The roads crossing near this location are main city arteries and any kind of blockade of these roads by the American Consulate should not be allowed by the city authorities. Very importantly, the location straddles important public transport routes and mini-buses and rickshaws should NEVER be dis-allowed from passing this area (as it happened on Abdullah Haroon rd). Hopefully, once this building is functional, the citizens of Karachi will once again be able to enjoy the gardens of the beautiful Frere Hall in un-inhibited peace.
Storehouses for construction equipment?
Before parting, I must differentiate between American citizens and the American government (as pointed out by a commentor on my earlier post). The citizens of the United States can be of all kinds, just like the citizens of Pakistan. Of the ones who visit Pakistan, most would not like to live in such castles as the American consulate, and may go around to live in different hotels or even people’s houses. However, the American Consulate is an office of the American government and therefore represents an institutional entity which, due to its prominence, has understandable security needs. Since this location is being built from scratch, hopefully, the US government will be making sure that all its security needs within the city are being taken care of within the perimeter of its compound.
Thank you sir its a very nice post and also it removes all or any doubts in my mind…..btw,
do you or anybody else happens to have the picrtures of the even taller cranes….at the site of Saima mall near johar more….I was passing by the other day….it was an impressive sight….
Your love is like bad medicine
Bad medicine is what I need
Shake it up, just like bad medicine
There ain’t no doctor that can
Cure my disease
Bad, bad medicine
Bad, bad medicine
Seems like the compound is right behind the NEW HAJI Camp and it is at the adjoining end of Sultanabad. The place was formerly HQ of NLC southeren region, rather Trailer Park of NLC.
So again it is NLC who made money outta that place?? is the place declared/ demarcated under KCB (Karachi Cantonment board) or CBF (Clifton Cantonment Board) ?? SwERveUT <– please do find out.
Dats not a comsulate, dats a damn viceroy mansion u dumbos
@fasee sab…..jo asal kam tha woh toh pheir reh giya….main toh kehta houn kay passport office kay baheir kisi oth commissioner ya pan wala ko deputies kar dein….visa ka thappa hee toh laga hai….yehan toh sirf dhabba lagay ga….jo baad main daagh ban gaay ga….
@ Shamsi: I am not sure whose jurisdiction it falls under, however I believe it was the Government of Pakistan which granted them this land. An old cotton research institute also used to be here which has now been demolished.
@ Fasee and @ Wasiq: Please make responsible comments and avoid unnecessary commenting in order to avoid moderation. If you need a place for your personal gup shup, please go to a chat room.
@SwERveUT…..welcome to the club……!now you are officially recognized member of the KMB team….
One small step of man a giant step for mankind….!
@fasee sab….love fifteen !
@swerveut,
First of all, thanks for polietly asking it instead of the tactics used, on which my comments are available, so won’t go in there, but appriacte ur style.
Seconly, unreasonable comments from my side are as much intentional, as the reasonable coments are that much imposed.
Simply meaning, I write what I feel at the moment, that I shud be writing, that’s how blogging started by the way, and if somebody thinks he can police me or subvert me into droping my nature, then its much simpler for me to leave the site and hang where I feel free again.
The REAL world is already too much for me to handle its silly obsolete beyond logic rules, and am near breaakdown on that,
So with all due respect, am not it the conditon or in the mood to add to that stress with any more policing and rules.
Peace bro
@ Fasee: Small advice for you man. Rant only as much as you can still be taken seriously. Otherwise, only thing that stands to lose is your own credibility.
This is not a communist forum, and all opinions are allowed. As long as they stay within civil bounds and respect the subject of this forum. If you feel you need to say more, maybe your own blog may not be a bad idea! I have one myself that I keep besides KMB.
Cheers!
@swerveut
Thanks for the advice bro.
As for the shorter bursts of rant…well I have the capabilityn yet, not the intentions….and am pretty comfortable and happy with it.
So, whenevr u find my foot beyond the line, u can call "noball"
Cheers.
PS: have played with the ide of blogijng long ago, and found it cumbursome.
It becomes boring when it becomes a liabilty instead of a timeout
@fasee sab…..i think I know the reason for his fall from grease…and landing on your mast cactus…..must have written in the report/thesis/presentation that there is no oil in karachi anywhere….!
amongst the ants and your girlfriends
and you act like you don’t even know
it’s cause you haven’t been here for too long
i called this right from the start
i turn my back for one second now all i hear is a shot in the dark
use my name like you know me
you’re all the same
keep running your mouth
mark my words were taking over the world
@ wasiq
Sir the eventuality of falling from grease is an inherent capability.
See, I did took swervutks advice to be brief
I see a nice blue swimming pool in the map above …..what place is that and who owns it…..?
That seems like another luxury army facility. Or the navy… since that area is part of the NORE.
The length of the pool being more than the width of the bypass….and the fact that its uncovered….dismisses the notion that this could be a luxuary facility…..
Might have been a fileteration or treatment plant,but Whatever it wud have been, now it wud become a bathroom for our viceroys poodels,
Oops I meant viceroys bull terrier, I forgot, the poodle died a poodels death and we rememebr it as shaheed now a days..:)
the filteration or treatment plants don’t appear so blue from the Google earth….it is the pool alright….but it must be sports stadium or the navy training facility….which being a born karachite I am so proud to have survived…(avoided…booo…-p)
subbah ho gaie mamoo mamoo….maamooo!
@ wasiq
Can’t argue man, as I have only worked around and inspected such sites occassionly, but never saw how a treatment plant looks from a sattelite image.
But my guess is, yes it can not possibly look so blue
To those who are confused, yes this is Navy’s Swimming Pool. I grew up in NORE-1 which stands for Naval Officers Residential Estate. It is quite beautiful from inside and all apartments are arranged in a good manner. Heck, I even went for swimming in this pool and the experience was quite bad. The depth is only 4ft on one side and 6ft on other side, which means I cant swim properly in it. :P
Secondly, Karachi’s original Bahria College is also inside this complex!
@nako….thankyou sir!