Alvi not receiving credentials of new US ambassador

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Armin Blome, who arrived here on May 23, has submitted his documents regarding his posting to the Foreign Office and taken up his assignment in Islamabad. He is the first US full-fledged ambassador who has been designated to Pakistan’s federal capital in four years. He is a career ambassador and seasoned diplomat.

Diplomatic sources told The News here on Monday that the Foreign Office had intimated to President Arif Alvi about the arrival of the US envoy and asked him to give a schedule for receiving his credentials, but he couldn’t spare time as yet.

The sources said that the presentation of credentials was a tradition that brought dignity and formality in the working of a new ambassador. It was viewed as an act of grace on the part of the host country.

The sources said that some PTI quarters were giving the impression that the president, under the influence of his party’s leadership, was reluctant to receive the credentials that also contained a letter from his president regarding designation of the holder as an envoy to the receiving country.

The sources said the Foreign Office was hopeful that Alvi wouldn’t play with the dignity of the country and evade decent diplomatic traditions. Alvi has earned ‘fame’ for departing from decent traditions ever since his PTI government lost power. The sources said that if Alvi opted to refuse or go for further undue delay in receiving the credentials of the ambassador, he could be relieved of the honour to receive the credentials.

It could be shifted to the prime minister or the foreign minister since in some countries, foreign ministers received the credentials of new ambassadors. The sources pointed out that some more new ambassadors were also waiting for the occasion to present their credentials as the Foreign Office’s Protocol Division made arrangements for submitting the credentials in a batch of more than one or two envoys. The spokesman of the Presidency wasn’t available for comments.