Ambassadors named for major world capitals

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador for the United States Ali Jehangir Siddiqui will relinquish his charge in Washington today (December 24).

He assumed the office in May this year and is calling it a day now since he was not a career diplomat and supposed to step down with the change of the government. Pakistan’s ambassador for Japan Dr Asad Majeed, who has been designated to become new ambassador in Washington, has reached Islamabad prior to two-day envoy conference commencing Thursday (December 27). He will submit briefing on behalf of country’s missions in Tokyo and Washington both.

He earlier had served in Washington mission on senior slots. Pakistan’s ambassador for China Masood Khalid will continue as ambassador in Beijing on completion of his contractual period ending on December 31 as he will attend two-day envoy conference.

Khalid is an astute diplomat hailing from the Foreign Service and has done remarkable job in his posting at Chinese capital. His briefing to the envoy conference will cover vast areas of cooperation between Pakistan and China with special reference to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other economic activities.

Highly placed sources told The News here Sunday that no panel has been submitted to the Prime Minister for replacement of Masood Khalid. In another conspicuous development, Pakistan’s permanent representative (PR) for the United Nations Ambassador Dr Maleeha Lodhi, who has already reached Islamabad for consultations and the envoy conference, will brief the conference about the economic role of multilateral diplomacy.

She has worked hard at the UN Headquarters to enhance the image of the country and scuttled several moves for tarnishing Pakistan’s image. Ambassador Lodhi who raised voice effectively in the corridors of the world body was generously hailed by Hurriet leaders of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) including veteran Syed Ali Gilani recently.

Dr Lodhi will likely get extension in the United Nations as her tenure will be completed in February, the sources said. Pakistan’s current high commissioner for Malaysia Nafees Zikria will also participate in the two-day envoy conference to cover economic ties of Pakistan with Malaysia and United Kingdom both.

He has been designated to become high commissioner for the Unite Kingdom, the sources said. Pakistan’s high commissioner in London Sahibzada Ahmad Khan has already moved from the British capital since he has been appointed as ambassador for Cuba. Pakistan’s permanent representative (PR) for European Union and ambassador for Belgium Naghmana Hashmi is among frontrunners for the ambassador’s slot in China.

Meanwhile, sources said that the Foreign Office will hold yet another envoy conference soon. The ambassadors posted in important capitals who haven’t been invited for the Thursday’s two-day conference will be asked to attend the proposed huddle.

The current conference is being addressed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister for Economic Affairs Dr Asad Umar. It will be covering economic links of the country with the Asian and East Asian countries, the sources said. The envoy conference will primarily focus on economic diplomacy and another conference will be hosted by the Foreign Office to take the view in other important capitals.