Basit Set To Become Pak Foreign Secy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistans High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit is set to become Pakistans new foreign secretary, media reports said on Saturday.

The Mian Nawaz Sharif led federal government has in principle decided to appoint Basit as the Pakistans new foreign secretary, replacing Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry who has been designated as Pakistans ambassador to the US, The News reported.

Prime Minister Sharif, who is also retaining the portfolio of the Foreign Affairs, has concluded consultations for appointing new administrative head of the Foreign Office, the daily said.

It is likely that the announcement pertaining to the appointment of Basit would be made next week, the report said. 58-year-old Basit is the senior most among the contenders for the top post.

Pakistans permanent representative to the United Nations Geneva headquarters Tehmina Janjua, Pakistans former Chief of Protocol and Ambassador to France Ghalib Iqbal, Pakistans ambassador for Denmark Masroor Junejo and Pakistans High Commissioner for United Kingdom Syed Ibne Hasan were the other contenders for the post.

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Basit, who has varied experience of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, was selected for the job three years back also but could not be appointed due to technical reasons and instead posted as High Commissioner in New Delhi. He was previously serving as ambassador to Germany.

Pakistan will take the decision about new High Commissioner in India after Basits return, the daily said.

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