Prime Minister Imran Khan has appointed 18 ambassadors and consul generals in various Pakistan missions abroad including Mueen-ul-Haq as Pakistan's new High Commissioner to India, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said. Talking to media persons, Qureshi said that he held detailed consultations with the Prime Minister and it was decided to make appointments on 18 vacant positions of ambassadors and consul generals abroad.
He said that senior diplomat Ambassador Naghmana Hashmi has been appointed as ambassador in Beijing, Mueen-ul-Haq as Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi, and Additional Secretary Imtiaz Ahmad as ambassador in Tokyo, Japan. Qureshi said that Zaheen Janjua has been appointed as ambassador in Brussels, Belgium, which is the centre of European Union for Strategic Enhancement Plan, while Additional Secretary Amina Baloch has been appointed as ambassador in Malaysia.
He said that Javed Khattak has been appointed as ambassador in Portugal, Saqlain Sayeda in Nairobi, Kenya, Rukhsana Afzal in Singapore, Khalid Jamali in Czech Republic and Ata-ul-Munim has been appointed in Algeria. Imran Haider has been appointed as ambassador in Dushanbe, Major General Abdul Aziz Tariq (retd) in Brunei and Major General Mohammad Khalid Rao (retd) in Bosnia Herzegovina.
The foreign minister said the consul generals appointed included Khalid Majeed in Jaddah and Ayesha Abbas Khan in New York. Muazzam Ahmad Khan is being appointed as special secretary of Foreign Ministry while ambassador in Kuwait Ghulam Dastagir will replace him in Abu Dhabi, he added.
Qureshi said that Pakistan's Ambassador in Russia Qazi Khalilullah has played a vital role and for the reason he is being given extension for another six months to continue his assignment. "All these appointments were made after the approval by Prime Minister Imran Khan," he said and hoped that the ambassadors and consul generals will play a pivotal role in promoting the soft image of Pakistan and will adopt the best behaviour with Pakistani community living abroad.