ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved the winding up of Pakistani missions in Ireland and Chile and eight commercial wings of such missions besides abolishing dozens of posts of press counsellors/attaches, commercial/labour officers, community welfare officers to save billions.
The local staff in Pakistani missions would also be cut while all non-Foreign Service officers performing in the passport sections of Pakistani missions abroad would be recalled besides calling back the political appointees given foreign postings as “paid holidays”.
In order to ensure the output of Pakistani missions abroad in the fields of diplomacy, trade, commerce, labour, etc, it has been made mandatory that like Foreign Service officers, the local language of the country assigned would also be mandatorily learnt by those appointed as Press/Commercial/Community officers, attaches or counsellors.
The Foreign Office sources said that the strength and working of all major Pakistani missions abroad is also being reviewed to review their present strength vis a vis their output.
Following the approval of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a committee to monitor and implement these decisions has been constituted under Special Assistant to the PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi.
Two Pakistani missions in Ireland and Chile have been closed down. Eight Commercial Wings.
At least, seven posts of community welfare attaches are being abolished.
INTERNEWS
