Diplomatic shake-up: 14 ambassadors called back, fate to be decided by new government
Sources say Salman Bashir and Masood Khan might continue.
Senior foreign ministry official said that the term of contract of 15 PPP appointed ambassadors serving in different countries ended.
ISLAMABAD:
In a shake-up of the foreign office, over a dozen ambassadors of the country who had been appointed to key positions across the globe are being called back before the new government takes oath.
Sources informed The Express Tribune that all politically appointed ambassadors under the previous government of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), will now await a decision of the new government on whether they will be retained or not.
Talking about the development, a senior foreign ministry official said that the term of contract of 15 PPP appointed ambassadors serving in different countries ended with the completion of the tenure of the government that appointed them. However, the caretaker government had decided that all political appointees in foreign countries would remain on their posts until a new elected government took charge. Since the new government is all set to take office in the first week of June, all such ambassadors and high commissioners are being called back pending a decision on their fate, revealed sources.
There are currently 14 countries where the PPP appointed ambassadors are currently serving. Some of those countries include India, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK), Sri Lanka and the United Nations. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman was the only political appointee who has tendered her resignation following the deafeat of her party in the May 11 polls.
A PML-N leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the new government might consider retaining the services of some of these ambassadors.
Those whose services might be retained include Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir and Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Masood Khan, both retired Foreign Service officials with established credentials in the diplomatic community.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2013.
In a shake-up of the foreign office, over a dozen ambassadors of the country who had been appointed to key positions across the globe are being called back before the new government takes oath.
Sources informed The Express Tribune that all politically appointed ambassadors under the previous government of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), will now await a decision of the new government on whether they will be retained or not.
Talking about the development, a senior foreign ministry official said that the term of contract of 15 PPP appointed ambassadors serving in different countries ended with the completion of the tenure of the government that appointed them. However, the caretaker government had decided that all political appointees in foreign countries would remain on their posts until a new elected government took charge. Since the new government is all set to take office in the first week of June, all such ambassadors and high commissioners are being called back pending a decision on their fate, revealed sources.
There are currently 14 countries where the PPP appointed ambassadors are currently serving. Some of those countries include India, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom (UK), Sri Lanka and the United Nations. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman was the only political appointee who has tendered her resignation following the deafeat of her party in the May 11 polls.
A PML-N leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Express Tribune that the new government might consider retaining the services of some of these ambassadors.
Those whose services might be retained include Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir and Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Masood Khan, both retired Foreign Service officials with established credentials in the diplomatic community.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2013.