FO reshuffles senior officers in various missions across world

ISLAMABAD: A senior officer of the Foreign Office Hasan Afzal Khan has been appointed the new Chief of Protocol (CP) State of Pakistan. While Foreign Office reshuffled senior officers in mission in capitals across the world.

Hasan Afzal has replaced Murad Ashraf Janjua who is going as the country’s High Commissioner for New Zealand. New CP Hasan Afzal was director general with the Protocol Division of the Foreign Office erstwhile and he has been given the new assignment after relinquishing office by Murad Ashraf Janjua. Well-placed sources told The News that notification of Hasan Afzal Khan has been approved by the foreign secretary.

In the meanwhile, Foreign Office has brought about major reshuffle in the senior officers of various missions situated in important capitals across the world. The Foreign Office has approved summary of 81 officers of senior grade lower than the ambassadors/high commissioners in number of the embassies/high commissions.

With this deputy of the envoys in some important capitals will be changed. The newly appointed officers will start leaving for their fresh posting venues before end of the year as the officers vacating the assignment will accordingly return to the headquarters in Islamabad.

In another development Pakistan’s new high commissioner for the United Kingdom Muazzam Ahmad Khan will be leaving for London on Monday next for assuming his new assignment. Muazzam Khan who is currently Special Secretary in the Foreign Office is replacing Nafis Zikaria who has attained superannuation and will be relinquishing the charge in the London High Commission this week after availing extended period granted by the foreign minister. Mansur Ahmad Khan has been posted as ambassador in Kabul who has returned from an assignment in Geneva. The sources said that Zahid Nasarullah has assumed the office at the headquarters.