Diplomatic reshuffle: Salman Bashir tipped as new envoy in Delhi

Govt had considered the possibilities of posting Bashir as its permanent representative in the UN or ambassador to US.

Pakistan may appoint foreign secretary Salman Bashir as its next high commissioner to India to replace incumbent Shahid Malik, whose term is set to end in June, reported the Press Trust of India (PTI).

The government had considered the possibilities of posting Bashir as its permanent representative to the UN, the ambassador to the US or the high commissioner to India, sources in the foreign office said, according to PTI.

However, with President Asif Ali Zardari reluctant to replace Hussain Haqqani as the envoy in Washington and with Hussain Haroon reviewing his call to be replaced as the permanent representative to the UN, the government has come round to the possibility of sending Bashir to New Delhi, the sources said.

A final decision in this regard in yet to be made by the government. According to PTI, Bashir is likely to be posted to India only after the upcoming meeting of the foreign secretaries in Bhutan next month.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2011.