Islamabad, September 10: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has denied the reports that the US plans to expand its embassy compound in the country.
“There is no mini Pentagon in the making in Islamabad, it is neither essential nor the Pakistani government will allow its construction,” Qureshi told reporters on Wednesday.
He said the Americans were acquiring land for their diplomatic mission, and added that they should approach the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the purpose, the Press TV correspondent reported.
The news comes on the same day that the Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior ordered Pakistan’s Interior Ministry to present the list of 200 houses allegedly rented by the US security and intelligence operatives in Islamabad.
Many Pakistani citizens reportedly believe that the notorious US security firm Blackwater (currently Xe) is active in the country and it has so far rented several houses in different cities.
Pakistani officials, however, denied the report that the firm is active in the country.
The security firm’s activities came under the spotlight in September 2007 after its employees opened fire on Iraqi civilians killing 17 people in Baghdad.
Earlier, Pakistani Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) announced that Washington was trying to change Islamabad into its military base through sending around 1,000 marines to Pakistan.
–Agencies