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High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood appointed new foreign secretary
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday announced that Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood has been appointed as the new foreign secretary of the country.
Qureshi, while speaking to reporters in Multan, said that the decision to appoint Mahmood foreign secretary had been made following discussions with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Incumbent Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua will be retiring on April 16, Qureshi said, adding that he had learned a great deal and received a lot of help from her. He thanked Janjua for her services. "Challenges came up in difficult foreign affairs," he said, "But she always handled things with courage, bravery, clarity, and with a smile."
The foreign minister said he had spoken to Mahmood on the telephone yesterday and congratulated him over his new appointment.
"He is a seasoned diplomat," Qureshi said, pointing out that Mahmood ─ a senior diplomat who has garnered a reputation for integrity ─ had previously served in various countries including Washington, New York, and had even been the Pakistani envoy to Thailand and Turkey.
"Even now, after the Pulwama incident took place, he came to the headquarters for consultations and I benefited from his experience," the foreign minister said.
Qureshi expressed confidence that Mahmood would fulfil his responsibilities as foreign secretary.
"I am hopeful that he will he will fulfil the country, as well as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's foreign affairs preferences," Qureshi said.
Mahmood has received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from Government College in Rawalpindi, a Master of Arts in History from Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, and a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York.
He joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in October 1985. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa), Mahmood served ─ among other positions ─ as Additional Secretary for Afghanistan/West Asia as well as Director General for the Americas and the Foreign Secretary’s Office.
His foreign assignments for Pakistan include the role of ambassador to Thailand and Turkey. He has also remained counsellor to Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations and a political counsellor to the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.
Comments (36) Closed
SMQ said, "I am hopeful that he will he will fulfil the country, as well as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's foreign affairs preferences," Why should he make Tehreek i Insaf's preferences and not only the Pakistan's foreign affairs preferences?
This is brilliant news! Call me optimistic but I think we are getting closer to a Kashmir solution. Im sure he will play a pivotal role in mediating the dialogue as he knows both sides well and I have a feeling the Indian's have already shown their pleasure at the decision. PTI government means business, we need to stand by them!
Welcome to the club and the main clubhouse. Keep it up and hang on tough.
foreign secretary of Pakistan or personal secretary of Tehreek-i-insaf??best of luck!!be cautious from Qureshi..he will not sleep without naming india everyday,Dont develop this habit!!
So now we have atleast two Mahmoods at the Foreign Ministry!
Wonderful!
Mahmood
A good choice...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
He is point man of Shahbaz Sharif
A diplomat with considerable experience specially serving in unstable difficult countries , like Afghanistan and India.
Good luck to him. He will definitely bring the concerns of India to Pakistan and help find way to normalise relation for the benefit of both nations.
All the very best to our retiring and incoming Secretary.
IK should make Ms. Janjua Foreign Minister and send Qureshi Saheb to fix Punjab as Chief Minister. Enough time wasted with Buzdar.
@Sammy, As an Indian I agree with you. Imran khan is loved and adored in India not only for his cricketing history but also as a statesman . He's an honest and hard working man who actually wants peace in South Asia.
Right man for the FS. He never uttered any unnecessary statements during his stint in Delhi. Hope he'll use his network and diplomatic skills to stabilise India-Pak affairs.
@Sammy, keep dreaming and fooling yourself
@Sammy, kashmir is part of india..
Since Pakistan’s foreign policy revolves around India, he is an obvious choice.
Mahmood, a seasoned doublespeak, will take charge as foreign secy once incumbent Tehmina Janjua retires.
Foreign means India.
Well, this is interesting. Sohail is good but he is also not strong as Janjua. I am not sure good this decision is.
@M. Saeed,
You are always towing agenda of a convict - NS!
Congrats to Sohail Mehmood, a seasoned diplomat. He had been very helpful in diffusing tension between India & Pakistan, and performed much better than Abdul Basit who unfortunately had a limited self vision to avail all benefits solely for his favor, like shopping in Delhi for family, or instead deliberations with MEA India, sending official messages to former PM Nawaz Sharif to attend his daughter wedding. Let us hope Sohail Mehmood as foreign secretary will continue engagement with India, as the Indian Desk is crucial to be handled with high diplomacy & care, he can move forward by pushing forward the TAPI project, and opening trade and travel horizons, besides scores of confidence building measures be implemented to move in right direction of regional peace, the stalled Kartarpur Corridor talks be given a faster pace, as this is pure religious matter, and all religious pilgrims including Hindus must be allowed through visa free entry, the hawks be controlled .
@Sammy, It all depends on what you mean by a solution. India will never give out its territory. The best case scenario would be to make the LOC into an international border.
@Sammy, it depends what you mean by ‘solution’!
The best man for the job...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
If Kashmir is solved, then Pakistan's all energies will go to development activities, consequently the country will become Asias most developed country. Hence, I think India will not allow that to solve Kashmir
He will be a yes-man of Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
@Sammy, what do you mean by Kashmir solution? India giving Kashmir on plate to Pakistan?
Despite how competent he is, if he puts Kashmir on back burner, move on with trade and economic priorities in the interest of Pakistan, he will be successful, else it does not matter who is your foreign secretary
He seems like a reasonable man. Hopefully this leads to better Indo-Pak relations.
Excellent news! Well deserved
He is a good man. Never courted unnecessary controversies during his tenure in New Delhi, unlike the previous High Commissioner.
Nothing will happen before June....after election in india, hopefully india-pakistan can work together in bringing peace and grow trade and business...india-pakistan market is worth 30 billion $ worth of trade...both countries are loosing money ....for what?
The man looks lost . Surely not the posting he would want !
Mr. Sohail seems to be good diplomat. Speak less and do diplomatic work in the background which is good thing about diplomats.
He is one of the best diplomat to India.
@RationalBabu , " it depends what you mean by ‘solution’!"
Very simple - UN resolutions!