Saudi embassy given seven acres of land

The government has provided seven acres of land to Saudi Arabia in the Diplomatic Enclave free of cost for construction of residential complex for the embassy staff and a school, it was learnt. The allotment latter of the land was handed over to Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz Ibrahim Al-Ghadeer by President Asif Ali Zardari last month during a meeting at the presidency where CDA Chairman Farkhand Iqbal was also present.
An official of the CDA told Business Recorder that the government would pay the cost of the land at the rate of Rs 32,000 per square yard to CDA. However, the fixed rate of land for foreign mission is $5000 per square-yard, he said.
According to the official, the civic body had provided two acres of land for the construction of the Saudi School and five acres of land for the construction of staff colony of the Saudi government. According to him, the land of staff colony is located close to the existing site of the Saudi Embassy while the land allocated for school is in phase-II of Diplomatic Enclave.