ISLAMABAD, March 4: A number of Pakistani envoys from key world capitals have been asked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report to the headquarters this week for consultations on major challenges confronting the country on the diplomatic front and in the international arena.
The two-day consultative meeting convened by Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan would begin here on Thursday and bring together seven Pakistani envoys, diplomatic sources told Dawn on Sunday, adding that all vital aspects of the country’s foreign policy and national security would be reviewed during the closed-door deliberations.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Munir Akram, Ambassador to the US Mehmud Durrani, Ambassador to China Salman Bashir, High Commissioner to the UK Dr Maleeha Lodhi and High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik would be attending the meeting as would Pakistan’s ambassadors to Afghanistan and Iran.
The proceedings of the meeting to be held at the Foreign Office would be conducted by Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and the foreign secretary.
Senior foreign ministry officials, including additional secretaries, and representatives of the country’s military establishment and key national security institutions were also expected to participate in the deliberations.
Although the official word was that the meeting was part of the ‘regular internal consultations’ to review Pakistan’s foreign policy and was planned much before the international criticism of Pakistan on the Taliban and Al Qaeda issue, the consultations had acquired special significance because of its timing.It was taking place amid growing international concern about an impending spring-offensive by Taliban in Afghanistan and mounting pressure on Pakistan from the US, Afghanistan, the Nato and other key members of the international community for not doing enough to curb Taliban insurgents and cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan had been the target of scathing criticism in the American and Western policy making circles as well as the US Congress in the past few weeks for letting its tribal areas turn into safe havens for Al Qaeda and Taliban militants.
The Western media had also been highly critical of Pakistan and appeared to have unleashed a campaign against it.
Pakistan’s repeated assertions and assurances about its continued determination to fight Al Qaeda, Taliban militancy and Talibanisation in the tribal areas had clearly failed to convince the international community.“The meeting will take stock of the changing geo-political situation globally as well as regionally and make recommendations on the strategic adjustments that Pakistan needs to make to respond effectively to the emerging scenario,” one Pakistani diplomat said.
The country’s top diplomats were expected to focus on Pakistan’s role in the war on terror, the Pakistan-Afghanistan border situation and the intensifying pressure on Pakistan from all fronts on the Taliban and terrorism issue.
The strained relations with the US, Afghanistan and Iran over terrorism issue would also figure in discussions, sources said.
The foreign secretary would also brief the envoys on the outcome of Pakistan’s evolving Middle East peace initiative.
Given that the meeting would take place just ahead of the fourth round of the Pakistan-India Composite Dialogue, discussions on the ongoing peace process and progress on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute would be part of the deliberations.
According to diplomatic sources, agenda of the meeting would be determined by the discussions and assessments of the envoys.
A meeting of the visiting envoys with the prime minister and the president was also expected.