Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Some 51 former civil and military officers were appointed as ambassadors in different countries after their retirement during the last eight years. Out of these some 11 are still performing their duties.

Out of those who were employed as ambassador after retirement, some 27 belonged to the Foreign Service and 24 were retired army officers. He said that that the appointment of ambassadors on contract is a special prerogative of Prime Minister, but their practical experience and other professional abilities are also kept in mind while making their induction.

“Those who are still working as ambassadors from foreign services are Masood Khalid (China), Riffat Mehndi (Spain), Abbas Jillani (USA), Arif Mehmood (Serbia) and Kamran Shafi (Cuba). Similarly, those retired officers belonging to the armed forces and functioning as ambassadors are Vice Admiral (R) Syed Khawar Ali (Maldives), Lt Gen(R) Agha Umar Farooq (Nigeria), Maj Gen(R) Syed Shakil Hassan (Sri Lanka), Air Marshal (R) Syed Athar Hussain Bukhari (Syria) and Maj Gen (R) Athar Abbas (Ukraine).

This was told by Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to the National Assembly during Question Hour on Wednesday. He said that the entire mission of Pakistanis working abroad aimed to extend maximum legal assistance to the Pakistani community there.

He said that there are 242 Pakistanis in jail in Afghanistan, 72 in Bangladesh, 231 in India, 9 in Maldives, 28 in Nepal, and 82 in Sri Lanka.

Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan told the house while responding to questions from different MNAs that Pakistan gives much importance to relations with the regional countries and measures are being taken to improve the trade volume with these countries. He said that trade agreements with Turkey and Thailand are at an advanced stage. He told the house that dry ports at Torkham and Chaman borders would be established soon, after that the trade would be registered.Federal Minister SAFRON Abdul Qadir Baluch said that almost 70 percent of the IDPs from Wazristan have gone back to their homes and the remainder would leave by next November. He said that if the political parties and all the stake holders of Federal Administrative Tribal Areas would give proposals to make FATA a province, then the government would mull over it. He informed the National Assembly that some Rs 3,960 million was spent on about 165 development projects in FATA during last financial year.