Dubai: The race for the most coveted diplomatic post –the foreign secretary – of Pakistan has begun.
As the incumbent Foreign Secretary Tahmina Janjua – the first female bureaucrat to serve at this position – is set to end in April this year, senior bureaucrats have started lobbying for the top slot. Janjua will retire on April 17 after serving in the position for two years.
Janjua had replaced the then foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry amidst controversy and bruising competition amongst top diplomats. It became so intense in 2017 that one of the top contender Abdul Basit, former Ambassador to India, got early retirement in protest for not being given the top slot. And his pate with the then Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry also became public when he wrote a letter to Chaudhry calling him the ‘worst foreign secretary.”
Most important diplomatic postion
Foreign secretary (FS) is the most important diplomatic position in Pakistan as the FS is the most powerful diplomat in terms of implementing foreign policy. All he diplomats including Ambassadors and Consul Generals also report to him.
The Foreign Secretary’s job is even more significant given the current scenario as Pakistan struggles to revive its image as a global player. In recent months, Pakistan has improved ties with the US and Gulf countries, and has played a significant role to bring the Afghan Taliban on the talks table with the US.
Top contenders
A senior diplomat told Gulf News that Sohail Mehmood, Pakistan’s envoy to India is the frontrunner amidst the race to be the foreign office chief. Ambassador to Germany Johar Saleem is yet another strong contender.
Moazzam Ahmed Khan, Ambassador to the UAE, has also been tipped as one of the leading contenders for the position. Khan’s name came up as the government wants to post somebody who has sufficient time on hand before retirement.
In 2013, the run for the post was even more intense as the Nawaz Sharif led government recalled Abdul Basit from Germany, where he was posted as ambassador, and nominated him to be the foreign secretary, but then immediately replaced his nomination with Aizaz before Basit could take charge. Then Basit was appointed as Pakistan’s envoy to India and was ignored again in 2017 episode of the FS appointment.
According to reports in Pakistani media, currently the most senior diplomats considered for the position inlcude Ambassador to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg Naghmana Hashmi. She is the senior most in the race followed by Sohail Mahmood, second in the seniority, and Ambassador to Italy Nadeem Riaz and Envoy to Germany Johar Saleem, in the third and fourth places, respectively.
Seniority not enough
But, it is not always the senior who is appointment as the FS.
Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar told media that the ‘senior-most’ should not be a criterion for elevation to the top slot. “The officer should not be weak. He should be able to deliver,” she added.
“The present government was pursuing a ‘reactive’ foreign policy and someone was needed to stabilise the situation. “I think they can pick from the top five or six officers. The aim should be to elevate someone who is eligible rather than the most senior. Some seniors may not be the best candidates,” a leading English newspaper quoted Khan.
The former FM said the new foreign secretary needed to handle the United States, Iran, Afghanistan, Middle East and India and should be sharp enough to support the government in resolving misunderstandings and issues.
“The government obviously makes the foreign policy, but the foreign secretary and the team have an important role. We need a strong secretary,” she added.
