Rainwater accumulated in Diplomatic Enclave though fully drained after hectic pumping and passaging by the efficient staff of the civic agency Capital Development Authority (CDA) the lesson diplomats learnt during the 5-6 days ordeal is: There is no diplomatic immunity to natural disasters especially when your civic affairs are in the hands of a poorly-trained civic body.
For the first time, the Diplomatic Enclave faced such type of overflooding. It was so bad that operation of one of the European embassies was disrupted as rainwater had entered its basement.
Members of the staff of a number of foreign missions residing or working inside the Diplomatic Enclave shared with Pakistan Observer on Thursday how hard it was for them, especially for the motorcyclists and the pedestrians, to plod through the rainwater accumulated not only outside their missions but also at the entrance and exit of the Foreign Office (Gate no.2) and the Shams Gate (3).
First, we thought it would be over by the evening of July 8, said NazirMasih (name changed) a sanitary staff member of a European mission. However, the ‘efficient’ staff of the CDA proved him wrong. On July 9, 10 and 11 the situation kept worsening.
Not only staff members, diplomats were also upset at this kind of challenge. “Daily I saw from the window of my bedroom additional number of staff arriving with heavy equipment, vehicles etc and daily I hoped it would end that day,” said a European diplomat wishing not to be named. “The western nations known for conquering the waters of oceans were feeling subdued before the (d)rainwater which was a pity. Never before I had experienced such helplessness,” she said.
She is right as the CDA leadership least interested in what was happening inside the Diplomatic Enclave remained busy elsewhere. Perhaps there were ‘more’ important issues to attend to. It was after the Prime Minister Office took notice and the media flashed headlines, that the civic agency woke up from the deep slumber and sent their teams to streamline water.
According to an insider, submerging of the Diplomatic Enclave did not take place in one day. It is a long story of garbage and untrimmed bushes dumped within the premises of the Diplomatic Enclave. This led to blockade of a decades-old culvert resulting in overflowing of water.
Diplomatic Enclave , an area housing the heads of foreign missions, UN offices which should otherwise be a place with all the modern facilities and infrastructure such as carpet roads, streets lights and proper security available, is presenting a pathetic picture of neglect and disarray.
Head of a European mission requesting anonymity said the CDA not only brought embarrassment for itself but also for the image of Pakistan.
Cut from the outer world, restricted within our residences for a couple of days we were wondering if we were living in an uninhabited land where no one is there to look after the civic matters, he said.
On Thursday once again there was a risk of the Diplomatic Enclave being submerged, but fortunately the CDA sewerage line has started working. “There are some problems however, water is now going towards the dam side with full flow,” said an official of CDA.
The crisis happened around two months after the completion of the Jinnah Square Road project worth Rs6 billion, which comprises Serena underpasses and Murree Road underpass along with widening of roads.
