The government of Pakistan has requested that Dr. Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, the current ambassador to Turkey, return to Islamabad as soon as he completes his term in Ankara.
In his stead, Junaid Yousaf will now serve as ambassador to the United States.
Dr. Syrus Qazi will succeed Sohail Mahmood as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at the end of this month, after which Sohail Mahmood will step down from his post.
Officer Syrus Sajjad Qazi, who is currently a Grade 21, is going to be elevated shortly.
As one of several officers in Grade 21 to be considered for promotion to the next grade, Syrus Qazi will soon be the subject of a meeting of the promotion board that reports to the prime minister.
This meeting is scheduled to take placeshortlye.
The sources claim that the Establishment Division has already started preparing for the board meeting that will take place later today.
Both Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad Qazi (Pakistan’s ambassador to the Philippines) and Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dayo (Pakistan’s ambassador to Brazil) are Grade 21 Foreign Office officers, and they are both vying for promotions to higher ranks.
The committee in charge of selection might give their applications considerable consideration as well.
According to the sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will meet to discuss the appointment of a new foreign secretary, and the appointment will take place the next week.
The State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, also has a voice in this discussion due to her position.
After the completion of all necessary discussions, it is anticipated that the new appointment will be announced within a week.
The outgoing Pakistani Ambassador to Italy, Jauhar Saleem, the current Ambassador to China, Moinul Haq, and the designated Ambassador to Japan, Raza Bashir Tarrar, are all candidates for the top position in the Pakistani Foreign Service because they are all already in Grade 22.
However, information obtained from reliable sources suggests that the choice of Dr. Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi to fill the position of new Foreign Secretary has already been made in principle.
According to the sources, Jauhar Saleem was given the position of Director General of the Foreign Service Academy (FSA) shortly after his return from Rome.
Given the number of significant events that are scheduled to take place over the next several weeks, the sources claim that it is unrealistic for the administration to delay the process of choosing the new foreign secretary.
On the 15th of this month, the SCO summit will be held in Samarkand, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, will be there to represent Pakistan.
There will also be attendance from notable foreign leaders, such as the President of China, Jinping Xi; the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin; and the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Prime Minister Shahbaz to meet face-to-face for the very first time with the three most prominent persons in the area.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan is currently in Uzbekistan, and upon his return, he will immediately board a flight to New York City to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly as Pakistan’s representative.
This will serve as a global stage to raise attention to the predicament that Pakistan is in as a result of the recent floods as well as other issues, such as the disagreement over Kashmir.
In times like these, the work of the foreign secretary is absolutely essential.
The newly appointed foreign secretary will need some time to become familiar with the pressures and responsibilities that come with his new role.
If a new foreign secretary is not appointed promptly, the sources indicate that there is a possibility that the country’s delegation will not be as well prepared for the events.
