Mystery deepens over status of 'blighted' Pakistan-owned building in US
Pakistan
An American investor of Pakistan descent had offered the bid of $6.8 million for building Nov last
(Web Desk) – Confusion continues to prevail over the status of Pakistan embassy-owned building in a high-end area of Washington DC as an official notice declaring it blighted disappeared days after it was pasted on it.
The notice issued by the government of the District of Columbia last week downgraded the classification of the now crumbling property located at 2201 R Street and 2315 Massachusetts Avenue. It fell vacant in 2003 when the Pakistan embassy relocated to its present site in the US capital.
The notice, which was reportedly pasted on the building’s door on Friday, stated that the officials inspected the property and “deemed it to be blighted”.
Meanwhile, Pakistani officials at the embassy say they are unaware of any such notice. The building has received offers after the federal cabinet gave a go-ahead for its sale in November last.
In December last, an American investor of Pakistan descent, Shahal Khan, had offered the bid of $6.8 million for the property.
Mr Khan runs Burkhan World Investments in the US capital. The firm introduced itself on its official website as investors of the projects “that it believes will have a positive impact on our society”.
Reports had said the second highest bid was made by a Jewish group which aims at establishing a synagogue at this site while the third highest bidder was another American investment firm.
In November 2022, Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb revealed that the federal cabinet had given a go-ahead for selling two buildings owned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Washington in a transparent way. The buildings, located at 2201 R Street and 2315 Massachusetts Avenue, fell vacant in 2003 when the Pakistan embassy relocated to its present site in the US capital.
Ms Aurangzaib said the government had to pay $819,000 in tax to the US authorities after their diplomatic status was revoked. “If the property is not sold, we have to pay $1.3 million in tax,” the information minister told media.
In 2010, the then prime minister had given a go-ahead for renovation of the buildings but it could not be done despite a lapse of more than one decade.
