ISLAMABAD, June 19: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr Inam ul Haq, as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

“But the notification is still to be made,” said Minister for Information Nisar Memon during a briefing here on Wednesday after the cabinet meeting.

“I am giving you the first-hand information that the president has appointed Mr Inam as the new State Minister for Foreign Affairs and further details in this behalf will be announced shortly,” he added.

Secretary Information Anwar Mahmood told reporters that Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Mr Riaz Kohkar, had been appointed as the new secretary of foreign affairs.

Sources said that Pakistan’s Ambassador to India, Ashraf Jhangir Kazi, had been appointed as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States in place of Dr Maleha Lodhi.