Pakistan To Evacuate District Coordination Office In Karach To House U.S. ISF
By Aamir Lathif IOL correspondent in Pakistan
KARACHI, Feb. 2 (IslamOnline)- The U.S.-led International Security Force (ISF) has asked the Pakistani government to allot the sprawling Commissioner House of southern port city of Karachi to establish a communication headquarters, sources told IslamOnline on Saturday Feb. 2.
The building is presently the District Coordination Officer in Karachi, which would be shifted to some other place to entertain the U.S. demand, sources said.
They said that the allied forces had requested the Pakistan government to provide a building near the U.S. Consulate for their day-to-day communications with the allied forces which landed at Karachi airport on January 31 after Pakistan allowed them to use its biggest airport to carry out military and relief operation in war-stricken Afghanistan.
The building is considered ideal as it is near the consulate and the area is regarded safer than other spots offered to the allied forces, sources said. Sources maintained that the proposed communication headquarters would be linked with the U.S. Consulate for security purposes.
It would also be in contact with Afghanistan and with the capitals of the countries that have contributed personnel to the allied forces besides headquarters of the United Nations.
Meanwhile, the International Security Force have booked 60 rooms in two five-star hotels in the city. The reservation has been made from January 24.
According to sources, 30 rooms have been reserved in Sheraton Hotel and the another 30 in the Marriott Hotel. The ISF has also booked another 10 rooms in Marriott Hotel for its staffers, who have been deployed at Jaccobabad, Dalbadin and Pasni airports, and are using these rooms for their transit stay in the city.
Security has been tightened in and around the hotels where the members of the U.S.-led allied forces are staying. Separate floors have been reserved and special arrangements for their launderette, kitchen and other utilities have been made. Security has also been beefed up for shifting of members of the allied forces from airport to the hotels. Police commandos have been deployed on all routes of allied force personnel.
About 50 personnel of ISF along with the necessary equipment have reached Karachi on their way to Kabul. They stay in transit in the City. The logistics of the peace force to be deployed in Afghanistan would move from Karachi from 15th of February.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials a 7-member American delegation has already arrived and has held four meetings with the CAA and PIA authorities for the facilities they want for their forces at and around the airport.
They further said that the airport hotel has not been handed over to the personnel, but 30 persons are already staying in the hotel. They also confirmed that a temporary information center is being made at the hotel.
Earlier on January 27, 2002 , some 150 troops of U.S. and allied forces reached Karachi while police have taken the responsibility for the safety of the workers of logistic support of allied forces.
