ISLAMABAD: The leadership of Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad is set for a major overhaul next year due to the completion of the government’s tenure and the impending retirement of a number of senior Foreign Service officials.
“At least nine career ambassadors serving in missions abroad are set to retire in 2013,” a source said. Add to that about a dozen and a half political ambassadors, who, as per tradition, would stand retired with the change in government. Another 20 would be replaced as part of the routine rotation of the officers. Pakistan has about 70 ambassadorial level missions abroad, which implies that almost half of the overseas missions would have new envoys.
Although a number of officers retire every year, what’s interesting this time is that not only the number is on the higher side but also some of the Foreign Service heavyweights would be reaching the age of retirement.
Many of the major capitals abroad would fall vacant due to retirement of political ambassadors serving there when the PPP government completes its tenure in the first part of next year.
The retiring career ambassadors include Khalid Aziz Babar (Iran), Fauzia Sana (The Netherlands), Ishtiaq Andrabi (Norway), Munawer Bhatti (Belgium), Khurshid Anwar (Austria), Haroon Shaukat (Turkey), Zamir Akram (UN, Geneva) and Irfan-ur-Rehman Raja (Greece).
The officer at the headquarters responsible for making all these postings, Ikramullah Mehsud - Additional Secretary Administration - would himself retire next year.
Some of the important capitals where ambassadorial positions would fall vacant due to change of government include Washington, London, Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Muscat, Kiev, Mexico City and Permanent Representative at the UN in New York. Internews
