"As none of the political appointees offered to return after May 31 when the government completed its tenure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a letter on June 4 asked them to continue until the next elected government takes oath," sources said, adding that prime minister is the appointing authority however the caretaker premier cannot make major appointments or transfers.
The former government appointed 15 non-career diplomats on political grounds in various world capitals who have continued their ambassadorial positions.
The most recent appointment on political ground was made in Washington when former PML-N government sent a non-career diplomat Ali Jahangir Siddiqui to replace Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry as Pakistan Ambassador to the US, a move widely criticized.
The remaining non-career diplomats included permanent representative to the UN Dr Maleeha Lodhi, High Commissioner to Canada Tariq Azim, ambassador to Cuba Kamran Shafi and ambassador to Serbia Adil Gilani. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Vice-Admiral Hasham Bin Siddique (retd), ambassador to Brunei Major-General Tahir Rasheed Khan (retd), ambassador to Maldives Vice-Admiral Syed Khawar Ali (retd), ambassador to Bosnia Lieutenant General Saleem Nawaz (retd), ambassador in Sri Lanka Major-General Shahid Hashmat (retd), ambassador in Syria Air Martial Shahid Kamal (retd), ambassador in Libya Major-General Sajid Iqbal (retd), and Major General Junaid Rehmat (retd), ambassador in Jordon.
There is 20 percent quota under which an elected government can accommodate political appointees in foreign missions on ambassadorial slots. "In most of the cases, the 20 percent quota allocated for the non-career diplomats including retired government officials, ex-diplomats, journalists, politicians and military officials, is exceeded which results in frustration among the foreign service officers waiting their turn for an important foreign positing," told a senior official of the Foreign Office.
He said that political appointments in foreign missions are not a new phenomenon but in recent years the numbers is rising. "The terms of non-career diplomats automatically come to an end with the end of an administration's tenure. But many continue to remain at their post during the period of the caretaker setup till the next elected government is in place", he added.