ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday said it was among the government’s priorities to protect the rights of Pakistani diaspora and resolve their issues at the earliest.

The minister, in a meeting with Pakistan’s ambassadors-designate for New Zealand and Azerbaijan here at the Foreign Ministry, said they were going to assume their diplomatic responsibilities at a time when Pakistan was faced with numerous internal and external challenges.

Murad Ashraf Janjua has been appointed Pakistan’s Ambassador to New Zealand and Bilal Haye for Azerbaijan, a Foreign Ministry press release said.

The foreign minister felicitated the designated envoys and said they were assigned the new responsibilities considering their excellent service record.

He also guided them regarding the professional affairs and Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities.

Both the envoys-designate thanked the foreign minister for the encouraging remarks.