ISLAMABAD: Sohail Mahmood will become new Foreign Secretary of the country upon superannuation of incumbent Foreign Secretary Ms Tehmina Janjua.
Sohail Mahmood who is currently Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India will assume the office at the end of the first quarter. The diplomatic sources told The News here Friday that Pakistan’s Ambassador for China Masood Khalid who has completed his contractual period on December 31, 2018 will continue in Beijing till his successor is designated. He has been asked to continue as country’s ambassador to China. The sources said that Ms Tehmina Janjua will complete her service tenure in mid-April this year. She has decided to hang gloves on April 16 as she isn’t interested in extension in service.
The sources indicated that Sohail Mahmood is one the senior most grade-22 officers of the Foreign Service and viewed as exceptionally competent diplomat. The informal decision has already been made at the highest echelon to bring him at the headquarters to run the Foreign Office although Pakistan’s ambassador in Germany Jauhar Saleem and envoy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Moazzam Ahmad Khan are also aspiring for the slot.
Soahil Mahmood has vast diplomatic experience as he was Pakistan’s ambassador in Turkey with concurrent accreditation to Macedonia and Kosovo till 2017. Before that he was ambassador to Thailand and permanent representative to the UNESCP Bangkok for four years till 2013. He had also served as political coordinator for Pakistan’s delegation to the UN Security Council (UNSC) before assuming office in Bangkok. He was Additional Foreign Secretary for America at the headquarters before leaving for Thailand.
The sources reminded that the government will have to pick two senior diplomats for posting in New Delhi and Beijing in a couple of weeks. Director General for South Asia Division and Spokesman for Foreign Office Dr Muhammad Faisal Chaudhary has been tipped for replacement in New Delhi beside some other contenders. Meanwhile sources said that another round of changes and reshuffling of the ambassadors/high commissioners including the contractual occupants and at the headquarters of the Foreign Office will be made in beginning of next month. Pakistan’s Permanent Representative (PR) to the United Nations Dr Maleeha Lodhi is expected to continue at the UN headquarters. Pakistan will have new ambassador for Russia and new permanent representative (PR) at the UN headquarters Geneva this quarter. The PR in Geneva headquarters of the UN, Farrukh Aamil will retire next month. It is expected that Ms Tehmina Janjua will be assigned in Geneva. Ambassador in Russia Khalilullah is also retiring in a couple of months. Additional Foreign Secretary Zaheer Aslam Janjua who had served in Moscow and Central Asian States earlier could be assigned as envoy to Moscow, the sources hinted. Pakistan’s contractual high commissioners and ambassadors who have armed forces background will also be unchanged.
