In a major diplomatic reshuffle, Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday approved appointment of Munir Akram as Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations in New York who will replace Dr Maleeha Lodhi. This latest reshuffle along with other diplomatic appointments was announced through a statement which was seen as surprising, as it comes soon after the Prime Minister's visit to New York where he addressed the UN General Assembly session.

Akram is a veteran diplomat who previously served as Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN for six years between 2002 and 2008. Lodhi was appointed as Pakistan's permanent envoy to the UN in New York in February 2015 who was among the political appointees of the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.

However, after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government took over in August 2018, almost all the political appointees tendered their resignations but Lodhi was given a two-year extension. According to the statement, Additional Secretary (AIT) at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Muhammad Aejaz has been appointed as ambassador of Pakistan to Hungary and Syed Sajjad Haider, presently serving as charge d'affaires of Pakistan to Pyongyang will be Pakistan's new ambassador to Kuwait.

Khalil Ahmad Hashmi, currently serving as director general (UN) at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been appointed as permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN in Geneva while Imran Ahmad Siddiqui, presently serving as consul general of Pakistan Toronto will be high commissioner of Pakistan for Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Ahsan KK Wagan, who is presently serving as charge d'affaires in Niamey, Niger, has been appointed as ambassador of Pakistan to Muscat, Oman, and Major General Muhammad Saad Khattak (retd) as the high commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka. Additionally, Abdul Hamid has been appointed as Pakistan's consul general in Toronto and Abrar Hussain Hashmi as Pakistan's consul general in Houston.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019