18 envoys to resign today

 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's non-service/contractual envoys posted in 18 capitals including Washington, London, New Delhi, Jakarta, Riyadh, Ankara, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Abu Dhabi and UN Headquarters in New York are going to resign with the new prime minister taking over today.
Quoting highly placed sources, The News reported here yesterday that some of the ambassadors/high commissioners would be retained to complete their contractual tenure but they would not be given extension.
All the envoys would be asked to continue till next instructions so that level of diplomatic communication with such countries might be maintained till the new appointments are made, the sources said.
The sources hinted that Pakistan's incumbent envoy to the US, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, UN Headquarters and Sri Lanka would not be asked to relinquish their assignments forthwith. Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohamed Khan will be among the diplomats who would be asked to continue. In all probabilities, he will be replaced in September next by a talented diplomat Salman Bashir, who is currently Pakistan's ambassador to China, the report said.
The sources pointed out that three retired lieutenant generals, four major generals, one former chief of the navy two former air vice marshals, and nine retired diplomats and intellectuals currently enjoying status of ambassadors and high commissioners in important world capitals will resign today.
The Foreign Office has compiled a list of the envoys in question to be submitted to the prime minister.
The aspirants for the diplomatic assignments are already engaged in hectic efforts for acquiring the same. They have been running from pillar to post ever since the elections.
Ambassador-at-large and former Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Conference Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, who was appointed ambassador by late Benazir Bhutto during the seventh OIC summit held at Casablanca in December 1994, is not expected to come under fire.