Pakistan, Turkey changing ambassadors in each other’s capitals

ISLAMABAD: Turkey has appointed Prof Dr Mehmet Paçac as new ambassador to Pakistan to replace Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, who has been assigned an important slot in Turkey’s Foreign Office back in Ankara.

Pakistan’s current ambassador to Turkey, Dr Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi is also being transferred back to the headquarters in Islamabad to head the Foreign Office. He is likely to get top BPS grade of the service in a couple of weeks that would entitle him to take over the slot.

Highly placed diplomatic sources told The News here Sunday that Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, who assumed ambassadorship in January 2018, will be moving to Ankara next month for taking up new assignment. 

The ambassador designated for Islamabad by Turkey Prof Dr Mehmet Paçac is a learned former educationist who had been fighting against Islamophobia since many years. 

He continued the noble mission even after joining the Foreign Service of his country. He was personal representative of the Chairperson-in-Office of Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on combating intolerance and discrimination against Muslims. 

According to sources, ambassador Mehmet Paçac is a Turkish diplomat and university professor. He served as ambassador of Turkey to the Holy Sea from 2014 to 2019. 

Previously he acted as director general of Foreign Relations in the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Ankara and Attaché of the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC. He has a PhD degree from the Faculty of Theology of Ankara University where he was a member of the academic staff between 1983 and 2008. 

He has been a visiting scholar and lecturer at various universities, including Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, Manchester University, the King Saud University in Riyadh, the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Bamberg University and Kuala Lumpur International Islamic University. 

He has specifically worked on hermeneutical questions of interpreting the Muslim holy scripture, the Qur’an, in modern times. 

The sources pointed out that Pakistan’s envoy Dr Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, who has been serving in Ankara since late 2017 as ambassador, has been tipped to become foreign secretary vice Sohail Mahmood, who will be attaining superannuation in September this year. 

Dr Qazi’s replacement for Ankara would be decided soon after his elevation to the next grade, the sources said. 

The sources pointed out that the government is contemplating to bring about important changes in the Foreign Office including appointment of new ambassadors/high commissioners in various capitals. 

The process will start soon after adoption of federal budget this month, the sources added.