Daily Times

Some days ago, I came across interesting news item published in an Islamabad-based paper. To my surprise, the race for the new foreign secretary has kicked off. While I was intrigued by what was claimed, I still noticed some glaring omissions and errors, which called for a more vivid snapshot of what is actually going on at the old ‘Scheherazade’.

The incumbent, Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, has been in this position for slightly over two, not three, years. He would actually complete his three-year tenure in April 2022, a few months prior to his retirement. That would suggest that he is likely to continue as the secretary until retirement, unless replaced prematurely.

Similarly, there is no practice of a foreign secretary being posted as an envoy to an important capital, or any capital for that matter, after retirement or close to retirement. The last foreign secretary, Tehmina Janjua, retired gracefully without getting any post-retirement consolation foreign posting. Her predecessor only spent eight months as an envoy after serving as foreign secretary for three-and-a-half years. But that ambassadorial term was for the period that he was still in service and ended as soon as he retired. Similarly, neither Riaz Khokhar nor Riaz Mohammad Khan was presented with a consolation foreign posting after ending their respective terms as foreign secretaries.

In some of my previous articles on the subject, I have mentioned that while getting a consolation posting abroad — including a very attractive emoluments package — could appear on anyone’s wish-list, if the incumbent foreign secretary completes his full term, it becomes a moot point. In fact, even if a decision to bring in a new one were to be taken tomorrow, thereby signifying a premature replacement, and the incumbent was posted as an ambassador, it would mean that the Foreign Office would be sending an envoy to a very important capital for less than a year, which could hardly be considered a wise choice.

Some days ago, I came across interesting news item published in an Islamabad-based paper. To my surprise, the race for the new foreign secretary has kicked off. While I was intrigued by what was claimed, I still noticed some glaring omissions and errors

Some diplomatic sources tell me that Sohail Mahmood is a decent person and, like his predecessor Ms Janjua, would not do something improper for personal gain at the end of a noteworthy career. In that case, the race for the next foreign secretary would be premature for now.

Presuming the news item I mentioned earlier had some unique basis, the possible choices might be a little different than indicated. Seniority-wise, Jauhar Saleem, the present envoy to Rome, who was earlier the envoy to Berlin for four-and-a-half years, is the most senior diplomat in the Foreign Service of Pakistan (FSP) cadre . He belongs to the 13th Common Training Programme (CTP) — thus, a batch-mate of the Foreign Secretary, only younger in age. The next two possible candidates mentioned in the news report, namely Raza Bashir Tarar and Moin ul Haque, who are presently envoys to Canada and China, respectively, are both from the 15th CTP (two years junior to the most senior candidate). The current envoy to Washington DC, Dr Asad Majeed Khan is from the 16th CTP and, thus, a year junior to these two as well.

While seniority is only one important criteria in the selection of a foreign secretary, the fact that Jauhar Saleem has been an ambassador for double the number of years than any other candidate; has degrees from multiple Ivy League universities; has served as adjunct faculty at some world class universities; and is currently serving as President of IDLO (International Development Law Organisation) makes him difficult to ignore.

Dr Khan also boasts noteworthy scholastic prowess with a doctorate from Japan where he served as an envoy previously. He has been in Washington for about two-and-a-half years. Moin ul Haque served as the envoy to Paris before being posted to Beijing. Whereas Raza Bashir Tarar served as High Commissioner to Kenya prior to his posting as the High Commissioner to Canada and is set to return to headquarters in a couple of months, on completion of his tenure.

There is a lobby within the Foreign Office which wants a pliant and docile foreign secretary and the most senior candidate is not known for these attributes. In fact, some quarters at the Foreign Office suggest that sending him to Rome, rather unfairly, after Berlin may have been an attempt to diminish his credentials as the most likely reason for that potential decision.

In any event, given that so many important developments are taking place in our region, and in terms of the major foreign policy issues besetting us, this may not be the most opportune time to replace a foreign secretary; especially when he still has about a year to go until he completes his term.

The writer is Associate Editor (Diplomatic Affairs), Daily Times. He tweets @mhassankhan06