Adil Gilani tipped to become envoy to Serbia

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to appoint Syed Adil Gilani, currently working as adviser of the Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), as ambassador to Serbia.

The move is likely to raise a few eyebrows. A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said the Foreign Office had forwarded a summary to the Prime Minister’s office for this purpose.



A formal announcement would be made soon, the official added. Gilani’s appointment is likely to invite strong reaction from the opposition parties and other government critics, who may see the move a reward for his organisation’s ‘favourable’ surveys on corruption index ever since the PML-N formed government in 2013.

Last year, Gilani was appointed as a consultant of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission. However, his appointment was later challenged in the Lahore High Court.

Gilani said that he was not aware of any such government decision.



The practice of appointing non-career diplomats on foreign postings is often criticised, particularly from within the foreign ministry.

Last month, the National Assembly was informed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed as many as 27 non-career diplomats in key foreign missions – half of them are retired armed forces officers.

“Moreover, there are 13 retired officers of the foreign service,” the National Assembly was informed.

At least 11 of 27 non-career diplomats – appointed since June 2013 – are currently representing Pakistan in different missions abroad, while 14 others relinquished the charge after expiry of their contracts.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2016.