ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: US ambassador Nancy Powell may soon bid farewell to Pakistan and return to Washington DC to head the Bureau of Africa at the State Department, informed sources told Dawn.

Ms Powell took charge as ambassador extraordinarily in June 2002, to replace Wendy Chamberlain.

The United States ambassador, when approached by Dawn on Tuesday to confirm reports about her new assignment in Washington, did not rule out the possibility.

“Yes, it is under consideration, but nothing has been firmed up yet,” she said.

Asked who was likely to be her successor, she said: “I cannot say anything at this point.”

Ms Powell said this at an Iftar dinner hosted in her honour by Mehnaz Akber Aziz, the country director of Children’s Resources International, here on Tuesday evening.

Some 50 women professionals including parliamentarians, educationists, non-governmental organization representatives and journalists attended the dinner.

Education Minister Zobaida Jalal, Mrs Zeb Gauhar, senior USAID and United States embassy officials were among the guests.

In her address of welcome, Ms Aziz thanked the US ambassador for supporting the education of women and girls in Pakistan.

She noted that it was during Ms Powell’s tenure that Pakistan had received the most generous assistance for the education sector, particularly for the education of women and girls.

Ms Powell said she was honoured to be among so many distinguished Pakistani women professionals, adding that the future belonged to them. “When I see women like you, I feel very optimistic about the future of this country,” the ambassador observed.

However, concluding on a realistic note, Ms Powell said: “But I know there are many problems too.”