Sri Lanka,Qatar appoint new envoys to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Qatar and Sri Lanka have appointed new ambassadors for Pakistan. Sources told The News here on Saturday that Qatar government has designated its ambassador to Pakistan, Saqar bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri, in a senior slot in Foreign Office back in Doha for the time being.

Ambassador Saqar Mubarak is a senior career diplomat of the Qatar Foreign Office, and he will be assigned important position in an important country later. Ambassador Saqar bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri, who is an astute diplomat in his own right, belongs to a distinguished Qatari family, and he served his country in Pakistan for more than five years.

During his stay in Islamabad, Ambassador Saqar coordinated high echelon bilateral visits of the leadership of the two countries about a dozen times and the relations of brotherly countries improved and strengthened during these years remarkably.

It is understood that Ambassador Saqar will be relinquishing charge by end of next month. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has designated its former Naval Chief Admiral Ravindra Wijequnaratne as high commissioner for Pakistan. Incumbent high commissioner has decided to hang his gloves and returning Colombo to resume his political role in his country’s politics.

He served here for about two years and has planned to contest election for parliament back in his hometown. He was first Muslim high commissioner from Sri Lanka after long pause, and he was appointed by the former government of Sri Lanka. High Commissioner Noordeen Muhammad Shaheid gained popularity in various circles of the federal capital within short span of time.

He played an important role during the difficult days of two-way ties of the two countries. The sources in the Foreign Office here have confided that agre’ment (Consent for appointment) to new high commissioner of Sri Lanka has been issued. Former Naval Chief of Sri Lanka is follower of Buddhist faith.