Almost all non-career diplomats appointed by the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government on political grounds in various foreign missions, have resigned except Pakistan's ambassador in Washington. As the deadline of December 7 given to all the non-career diplomats to resign, expired on Friday last, Foreign Office sources told that Pakistan's ambassador in the US Ali Jahangir Siddiqui has been granted a two-week extension.
Most of the non-career diplomats resigned after the new government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came into power as a result of July 25 general election, the sources said, adding that deputy chief of missions in such stations would serve as acting ambassadors till new appointments are made.
Pakistan's permanent representative to UN Dr Maleeha Lodhi has also been granted a two-year extension, the sources added.
Those who recently tendered their resignations included Pakistan's ambassador in Saudi Arabia Vice-Admiral Khan Hasham bin Saddique (retd) and High Commissioner in Canada Tariq Azeem.
Three ambassadors including Ambassador of Pakistan to Doha Shahzad Ahmad, Ambassador to Havana Kamran Shafi and Ambassador to Morocco Nadir Chaudhry have tendered their resignations after the PTI government took over.
The non-career diplomats appointed during the PML-N government include Tariq Azeem, High Commissioner of Pakistan in Canada, Masood Khalid, Pakistan's ambassador in Beijing, Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to UN in New York, Ali Jehangir Siddiqui, Pakistan's Ambassador in Washington, Vice-Admiral Khan Hasham bin Saddique (retd), Pakistan's Ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Maj-Gen Tariq Rasheed Khan (retd) in Brunei, Lt-Gen Saleem Nawaz (retd) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Syed Adil Gillani in Serbia, Maj Gen Shahid Ahmad Hashmat (retd), High Commissioner of Pakistan in Colombo, Major General Junaid Rehmat (retd) in Jordan, Vice Admiral Waseem Akram (retd) in Maldives, Maj-Gen Sajid Iqbal (retd) in Libya, Air Marshal Rashid Kamal (retd) in Syria, Qazi M Khalilullah in Moscow and Brigadier Syed Javed Hassan (retd), Pakistan's Council General in Dubai.