ISLAMABAD: The government announced on Tuesday new envoys for a number of world capitals.

The ambassadors-designate, who called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif included Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah, who has been named as ambassador to Russia; Additional Secretary (Admin) Johar Saleem as ambassador to Germany; former chief of protocol and currently at NDU Moinul Haq as ambassador to France; Additional Secretary Asia-Pacific Mr Afrasiab as ambassador to New Zealand; Director General Europe Mazhar Javed as ambassador to Nepal; DG Africa Babar Hashmi as ambassador to Bulgaria; and foreign service officer Zahid Ali as ambassador to Sudan.

A political appointee Chaudhry Nadir has, meanwhile, been designated as ambassador to Morocco.

Consul generals-designate who called on the prime minister included DG Afghanistan Jabbar Memon, who has been posted to Los Angeles and Ahmad Naseem Waraich to Frankfurt.

PM Sharif asked the newly appointed envoys to “work hard in their respective countries of accreditation for improving bilateral relations and enhancement in the positive image of Pakistan”.

Some of the newly appointed envoys would be replacing the retiring ambassadors. Those retiring include Hassan Javed (Germany), Jamshaid Iftikhar (Bulgaria), Arshad Saud Khosa (Nepal) and Sarfraz Khanzada (Sudan).

Ambassadors to France and New Zealand, Ghalib Iqbal and Zahra Akberi, respectively, are being replaced on completing their tenures.

Government’s dissatisfaction with the incumbent ambassador to Russia, Zaheer Janjua, and Consul General in Los Angeles Hamid Asghar forced their premature replacement, according to insiders.

Both served around a year at their current places of posting. The normal tenure for ambassadorial posting is three years.

Hamid Asghar has been recalled on the complaint of the community.

This is not the first time that Mr Asghar has been recalled from a foreign posting. “Ironically, he is being considered for an ambassadorial assignment,” a Foreign Service officer fretted.

Published in Dawn, October 14th , 2015

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