Senior diplomats keen to interact with Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Former three-time prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has become the most sought-after leader by senior diplomats posted in Islamabad.

About 60 diplomats, including ambassadors and high commissioners, are looking for an interaction with him after he returned from abroad following four years of exile, and received by people with fair amount of enthusiasm.

The envoys are keen to ascertain PMLN supremo’s views on sensitive and important international issues and on bilateral subjects of their respective interests, as vibes suggest and commonly understood in their host country that he would be the next prime minister of Pakistan after the upcoming general election on February 8 next year.

Sources in the PMLN told The News that Nawaz Sharif, who retained the charge of Foreign Affairs portfolio for about three years in his third stint as the prime minister, would be meeting important diplomats soon after announcing the manifesto of the party for the elections.

He would discuss important subjects related to the foreign policy of his likely government. He would himself or his appointed ones would be asked to brief diplomats and address their queries, if any, at an appropriate time. It is likely that manifesto of the PMLN, which is being prepared by a committee under Senator Irfan Siddiqui, would be ready towards the end of the month.

Nawaz Sharif’s former adviser on foreign affairs, Ambassador Syed Tariq Fatemi, who had also served as the country’s ambassador in various capitals including Washington, has been included in the manifesto committee recently. He also served as a special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) with Shehbaz Sharif’s allied government of 16 months.

In the meanwhile, Dean of Diplomatic Corps in Islamabad Turkmen Ambassador Atajan Movlamov and Dean of Arab envoys in Islamabad Kingdom of Bahrain Ambassador Muhammad Ebraheem Muhammad Abdul Qadir, while speaking to this scribe, shared the desire of diplomats for a meeting with Nawaz Sharif at the earliest. The desire has also been conveyed to the office of PMLN supremo.

PMLN sources said Nawaz Sharif would have a meeting with the senior diplomats during his election campaign when he would be available in the federal capital.

He may host a reception in their honour on the occasion, but in between meetings with some ambassadors/ high commissioners representing important capitals could not be ruled out, sources added.