Sami Malik appointed ambassador to Morocco

ISLAMABAD: The caretaker government has appointed Sami Malik as ambassador to Morocco to replace Hamid Asghar Khan.

Diplomatic sources told The News that it is the first appointment of a non-career/contractual ambassador by the caretaker administration. Rabat has issued consent for the appointment for Malik.

Sami Malik has been posted for a period of two years on contractual basis and he has submitted an undertaking that with the change of incumbent government, he would be deemed to resign from the slot. The undertaking is believed to be ceremonial.

Interestingly, all the ambassadors/high commissioners posted under the category of contract by the previous government have been instructed to continue till further orders. It includes Pakistan’s Permanent Representative (PR) for the United Nations Munir Akram, 79, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States Sardar Masood Khan, 70, and five other envoys. The ambassador to Jordan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Brunei Darussalam are the other envoys who were allowed to continue despite the change of the government in April last year and again after induction of the caretaker administration.

The sources pointed out that the outgoing ambassador to Morocco, Hamid Ashgar Khan, was appointed to Turkmenistan but the orders were withdrawn before he assumed the slot. He has been asked to report to headquarters.

Sami Malik had meetings with prime minister and some federal ministers dealing with economy and trade this week. He would leave for Rabat after calling on the president next week and assume the office later this month, the sources said. The Foreign Office spokesperson, to a query by this scribe Thursday evening, confirmed the appointment of non-career Sami Malik for the period of two years.