Rupee depreciation burdening MoFA, NA told

Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Syed Hussain Tariq on Friday told the National Assembly that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) pays its diplomatic missions in dollars and that steep depreciation of the Pakistani Rupee has put more burden on the ministry's finances.

"The ministry is providing funds in US dollars at an official rate for conversion of grants prevailing before the budget," Tariq said while responding to a query of MNA Saira Bano, who belongs to the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

Bano had asked for clarification with regard to reports that the old Pakistan embassy building in Washington was being allegedly used by the ambassador. She had also asked when this  building was going to be sold as its auction bid had already been done.

Tariq said there was only one property being sold in Washington after approval of an inter ministerial committee comprising  MoFA and housing and finance ministries. "No other property has been sold or bought in the past five years by the ministry."

He said the previous embassy building was very old and its maintenance cost MoFA dearly.

"The bidding process was completed  through a realtor hired for the purpose and the highest bidder got the property. Bids from Washington were received by the cabinet," he said.

MNA Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) asked as to what was  the ministry's plan to sell its high-end properties and establishments of missions to save precious national exchequer "as the country's population and number of expatriates have  been rising, demanding more resources".

The secretary told the assembly that MoFA is meeting  90% of the expenses of its diplomatic missions from its budget allocation. The official told the house that embassies also generate funds through visa service and other facilities to meet their needs.

MNA Wajiha Qamar of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) suggested that budgetary deductions should be made to improve performance of the Pakistani embassies. Moreover, she queried about the dollar exchange rate used to pay expenses of the diplomatic missions.

MNA Shagufta Jumani of the PPP also raised her concern over lack of an embassy building in  Iraq despite the fact that it was a significant place which thousands of Pakistani pilgrims visit every year. She asked whether the ministry intended to establish any formal embassy in Iraq as the Pakistani embassy right now operates from a hotel.

The MoFA official said due to disturbed situation in Iraq the embassy had been established in a hotel, where the embassy staff is positively available to ensure proper facilitation of the pilgrims. "There is a plan to build an embassy in Iraq," he added.

With additional input from News Desk