Advisory council discusses foreign policy challenges
Shift to economic diplomacy likely based on membership of panel
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday chaired the maiden meeting of the recently-constituted Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs with an aim to formulate an ‘inclusive and vibrant’ policy with changing global trends.
The council includes former diplomats, senior academics, and other foreign policy experts. Wednesday’s session was also attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Law Minister Farogh Naseem and Federal Minister for Planning Khusro Bakhtiar.
The composition of the advisory council suggests that the PTI government wants to give greater focus to trade diplomacy.
According to the state-run Radio Pakistan, during the meeting, the foreign minister highlighted the important role of civil society, including members of the academia, in working with state institutions towards formulating an inclusive and vibrant policy in line with changing global trends.
Welcoming members of the new advisory council, Qureshi outlined broad contours of Pakistan's foreign policy and key priorities.
Member of the council appreciated the prime minister's initiative to establish a consultative policy making process and discussed a broad range of issues related to Pakistan's foreign policy.
The council was constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan late last month in an effort recalibrate Pakistan’s foreign policy and move away from the security-centric approach.
The council is tasked with formulating recommendations related to Pakistan’s foreign policy based on their experience and knowledge, especially with issues that are not routinely given attention, such as national resource constraints.
“In order to dispel the impression of our foreign policy being mostly security-centric and less directed towards economic issues, experts having relevant experience in international economics have been made part of the advisory council. In order to have a holistic approach, the ministers for finance, commerce and planning have also been included as members of the council,” the statement said.
The council also has representation from the Foreign Service Academy, the institution where diplomats are trained, linking the training academy directly with the policy-making domain. In addition to this, the director general of the Institute of Strategic Studies will also be a member of this council.
The advisory council, through its deliberations and recommendations, will help take stock of Pakistan’s foreign policy and make recommendations for the achievement of the country’s foreign policy goals.
Foreign policy has always been the subject of debate in Pakistan, with a particular focus on the question of whether the elected government or military establishment sets the country’s external policy.
The prime minister dismissed the impression that foreign policy was made in the GHQ, though he said he did take input from the military establishment, given the nature of challenges on the external front.
The latest move suggests the government wants to reorient the foreign policy with a major focus on economic diplomacy.
Pakistanis under trial in Egypt
Meanwhile, foreign office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said five Pakistani nationals who were earlier stranded on a ship off the coast of Safaga in Egypt have been produced in an Egyptian court.
“An officer from our mission in Cairo was deputed to assist our nationals during the court proceedings. The crew has been charged with involvement in drug smuggling, which was allegedly found on the ship. The crew has denied any involvement stating that they were hired for transportation of cargo by an agent of Marseille Shipping Lines in Dubai,” the spokesperson added.
The mission, he said, was actively pursuing the matter and remains in regular contact with the local authorities and the five Pakistani nationals.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday chaired the maiden meeting of the recently-constituted Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs with an aim to formulate an ‘inclusive and vibrant’ policy with changing global trends.
The council includes former diplomats, senior academics, and other foreign policy experts. Wednesday’s session was also attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Law Minister Farogh Naseem and Federal Minister for Planning Khusro Bakhtiar.
The composition of the advisory council suggests that the PTI government wants to give greater focus to trade diplomacy.
According to the state-run Radio Pakistan, during the meeting, the foreign minister highlighted the important role of civil society, including members of the academia, in working with state institutions towards formulating an inclusive and vibrant policy in line with changing global trends.
Welcoming members of the new advisory council, Qureshi outlined broad contours of Pakistan's foreign policy and key priorities.
Member of the council appreciated the prime minister's initiative to establish a consultative policy making process and discussed a broad range of issues related to Pakistan's foreign policy.
The council was constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan late last month in an effort recalibrate Pakistan’s foreign policy and move away from the security-centric approach.
The council is tasked with formulating recommendations related to Pakistan’s foreign policy based on their experience and knowledge, especially with issues that are not routinely given attention, such as national resource constraints.
“In order to dispel the impression of our foreign policy being mostly security-centric and less directed towards economic issues, experts having relevant experience in international economics have been made part of the advisory council. In order to have a holistic approach, the ministers for finance, commerce and planning have also been included as members of the council,” the statement said.
The council also has representation from the Foreign Service Academy, the institution where diplomats are trained, linking the training academy directly with the policy-making domain. In addition to this, the director general of the Institute of Strategic Studies will also be a member of this council.
The advisory council, through its deliberations and recommendations, will help take stock of Pakistan’s foreign policy and make recommendations for the achievement of the country’s foreign policy goals.
Foreign policy has always been the subject of debate in Pakistan, with a particular focus on the question of whether the elected government or military establishment sets the country’s external policy.
The prime minister dismissed the impression that foreign policy was made in the GHQ, though he said he did take input from the military establishment, given the nature of challenges on the external front.
The latest move suggests the government wants to reorient the foreign policy with a major focus on economic diplomacy.
Pakistanis under trial in Egypt
Meanwhile, foreign office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said five Pakistani nationals who were earlier stranded on a ship off the coast of Safaga in Egypt have been produced in an Egyptian court.
“An officer from our mission in Cairo was deputed to assist our nationals during the court proceedings. The crew has been charged with involvement in drug smuggling, which was allegedly found on the ship. The crew has denied any involvement stating that they were hired for transportation of cargo by an agent of Marseille Shipping Lines in Dubai,” the spokesperson added.
The mission, he said, was actively pursuing the matter and remains in regular contact with the local authorities and the five Pakistani nationals.