Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: PAK35463 Country: Date: 15 September 2009

Keywords: Pakistan – – Sector F8

This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein.

Questions 1. Please provide information on Sector F8 in Islamabad.

RESPONSE

1. Please provide information on Sector F8 in Islamabad.

Limited information was located on Sector F-8 in Islamabad; what information is available suggests that it is a developed, relatively affluent residential area.

The Islamabad Directory website provides an overview of the , and states of the F Sectors that: “The F sectors are numbered F-5 through F-12…The Centaurus complex (including a 7 star plaza, 5 star hotel and apartments) will be one of the major landmarks of F-8”:

Islamabad is divided into several different sectors, each identified by a letter of the English alphabet and a number, with each sector covering an area of approximately 2km x 2km. Each sector is further divided into 4 sub-sectors. The sectors currently in use are lettered from D to I.

Currently, there is only one D sector, D-12 Islamabad. Although this sector is underdeveloped with its development to be completed in 2008, it will be considered as one of the most beautiful sectors of Islamabad because of its location near the .

The E sectors are numbered from E-6 to E-12. Many foreigners and diplomatic personnel are housed in this sector.

The F sectors are numbered F-5 through F-12. F-5 is an important sector for the software industry in Islamabad, as both of the two software technology parks are located here. The entire sector of F-9 is dedicated for the Fatima . The Centaurus complex (including a 7 star plaza, 5 star hotel and apartments) will be one of the major landmarks of F- 8.

The G sectors are numbered G-5 through G-12. Some important landmarks include the Convention Center, SS-CARE and Serena Hotel in G-5, the Lal Mosque in G-6, the Karachi Company shopping center in G-9 (named after a construction company from Karachi who made one of the first flats in this area in and around 1978) and the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in G-8.

The H sectors in Islamabad are numbered H-7 through H-12. The H sectors in Islamabad are mostly dedicated to educational and health institutions. Shifa International Hospitals Ltd. and the Shifa College of Medicine are situated in sector H-8/4. Sectors H-8, H-9, H-10 and H-11 contain the campuses of a number of top universities and Institutes of the country, including Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of Pakistan, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Allama Iqbal Open University, City School, and Beacon House School in sector H-8 of Islamabad; the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) and International School of Islamabad in sector H-9; the International Islamic University in sector H-10 Islamabad; the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (FAST- NUCES) in sector H-10 Islamabad; and the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in H-12 Islamabad.

The I sectors are numbered I-8 Islamabad through I-10 Islamabad. Except for I-8 Islamabad, these sectors are primarily set aside as part of the industrial zone. For now, most of the I- sector Islamabad is open land with dense vegetation, including several annual and perennial plants. The trees are dominated by willows, oaks and eucalyptus trees (‘The Idea of Islamabad’ (undated), The Islamabad Directory website http://www.theislamabad.com/ – Accessed 15 September 2009 – Attachment 1).

The Latest Cars of the World blog website provides information on the Centaurus Hotel, currently under construction in Sector F8 in Islamabad:

The $350 million, 7-Star Centaurus Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan will help to put this country on the map for international travellers once the project is completed around 2010. The complex is designed by WS Atkins PLC, whose portfolio includes the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, and the Bahrain World Trade Center in Bahrain. It is a project of the Pak Gulf Construction (Pvt) Ltd (PGCL) in Islamabad. Pak Gulf construction company is a joint venture between Al Tamimi (Saudi Arabia) and Sardar Builders (Pakistan).

Besides serving residential, commercial, and business purposes, the complex is intended to symbolise the growth of Pakistan, and to enable it to host international conferences and seminars in Pakistan’s capital city. The $350 million complex is planned to have a 37-story, 7 star deluxe hotel, with two 21-story residential towers, a 25-story corporate office tower, and a 5-story shopping mall.. The complex will have a parking lot to accommodate over 2,000 vehicles. It is designed to withstand up to 9.5 magnitude earthquakes and is scheduled to be completed in 2010 (‘The Centaurus Hotel Islamabad, Pakistan’ 2009, Latest Cars of the World blog website, 24 May http://carspromotion.blogspot.com/2009/05/centaurus-hotel- islamabad-pakistan.html – Accessed 15 September 2009 – Attachment 2).

A seminar paper sourced from the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics website describes the F8 Sector of Islamabad as a “developed” sector, and figures provided suggest that F8 is a low-density housing area compared to most other sectors. Along with four other sectors, it has the highest “housing unit size”, and ranks as the equal-fourth most expensive sector for housing, out of 15 sectors (Ahmad, A. (undated), ‘Housing Demand in Islamabad Capital Territory’, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics website http://www.pide.org.pk/pdf/Seminar/Seminar%2068.pdf – Accessed 15 September 2009 – Attachment 3).

The UK-based real estate website Homes on Sale carries two listings for houses in Islamabad Sector F8: one is described as being “in a nice and quite street few minuets [sic] walk from park F9…in one of the posh localaities [sic] of Islamabad”, and the other is described as being in a “nice and calm neighbourhood”, with “marble flooring , nice wood work , 5 bed rooms attach [sic] baths” (‘About This 4 – Bungalow’ 2007, Homes on Sale website http://www.homesonsale.co.uk/islamabad_f8_2_666_sqyds_500_sqydsbrand_new_and_dem olishable_houses_for_sale-o19620-en.html – Accessed 15 September 2009 – Attachment 4).

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources:

Google search engine http://www.google.com.au

Databases:

FACTIVA (news database) BACIS (DIAC Country Information database) REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database) ISYS (RRT Research & Information database, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports) RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. ‘The Idea of Islamabad’ (undated), The Islamabad Directory website http://www.theislamabad.com/ – Accessed 15 September 2009).

2. ‘The Centaurus Hotel Islamabad, Pakistan’ 2009, Latest Cars of the World blog website, 24 May http://carspromotion.blogspot.com/2009/05/centaurus-hotel- islamabad-pakistan.html – Accessed 15 September 2009.

3. Ahmad, A. (undated), ‘Housing Demand in Islamabad Capital Territory’, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics website http://www.pide.org.pk/pdf/Seminar/Seminar%2068.pdf – Accessed 15 September 2009.

4. ‘About This 4 – Bungalow’ 2007, Homes on Sale website http://www.homesonsale.co.uk/islamabad_f8_2_666_sqyds_500_sqydsbrand_new_an d_demolishable_houses_for_sale-o19620-en.html – Accessed 15 September 2009.