Abdul Basit to replace Aizaz Ahmad as Foreign Secretary

ISLAMABAD: The government has in principle decided to appoint Abdul Basit as country’s new Foreign Secretary while Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary has been designated to become country’s envoy in the United States. 

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is also retaining the portfolio of the Foreign Affairs has concluded consultations for appointing new administrative boss of the Foreign Office. It is likely that the announcement pertaining to the appointment of Abdul Basit would be made next week. 

He is currently Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India and senior most among the contenders of the slot. He was selected for the job three years back but couldn’t be appointed due to technical reasons and was instead posted as high commissioner in New Delhi. He was previously serving as ambassador to Germany.

Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations Geneva headquarters Ms. Tehmina Janjua, Pakistan’s former Chief of Protocol and Ambassador to France Ghalib Iqbal, country’s ambassador for Denmark Masroor Junejo and Pakistan’s High Commissioner for United Kingdom Syed Ibne Hasan were the other contenders for the post, the sources said. 

Pakistan’s ambassador for the United States Syed Jalil Abbas Jailani has relinquished the charge on completion of his contractual period as ambassador in Washington. Rizwan Saeed Sheikh will be acting as Charged D’ Affairs in Washington till the arrival of Aizaz Chaduhary in the US capital. 

It is likely his formal agreement (consent) by the host administration would be received in the meanwhile. The sources pointed out that Donald Trump administration has stalled issuance of all pending agreement of various countries including Pakistan. 

Aizaz Chauduary has planned to leave for the United States immediate after the ECO summit in the first week of next month, the sources added. Pakistan will take decision about new high commissioner in India after return of Abdul Basit, the sources said.

—Originally published in The News