Nizamani new ambassador to Kabul

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has appointed Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani as new ambassador to Afghanistan vice Mansoor Ahmad Khan. Ubaid Nizamani is currently director general European Division in the Foreign Office. The outgoing envoy is attaining superannuation by the end of this month and would be retired from the service.

Diplomatic sources told The News on Friday that Shahbaz M Malik, who is currently serving as deputy high commissioner in Canada, has been designated Pakistan’s ambassador to Cuba. Shabzada Ahmed Khan, who was Pak ambassador in Cuba, has already been transferred and appointed as the ambassador to Thailand. He was elevated to grade-21 soon after assuming the new diplomatic assignment.

Pakistan’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK) Moazzam Ahmad Khan is attaining superannuation in 10 weeks and his replacement could be a non-career envoy. The high-ups concerned are working on various proposals for the replacement in London. Interestingly, Pakistan has seldom appointed a career high commissioner to the UK, where most of the time non-career envoys had represented the country.

Pakistan’s ambassador to Norway Babar Amin is also retiring where a new envoy is being appointed. The outgoing foreign secretary, Sohail Mahmood, will be retiring from service the next month. It is likely that he would be appointed director general the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI) on completion of contractual period of service of Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, who had also served as foreign secretary and Pakistan’s ambassador in the United States. Sohail will also get a contract if authorities concerned consented to appoint him.

Pakistan has sought consent of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the appointment of yet another astute diplomat Syed Faisal Niaz Tirmazi as its ambassador. He is replacing Afzaal Mahmood, who will be retiring the next month.

Faisal Tirmazi is currently working as additional foreign secretary for America, administration/A&C/OP. He will assume the diplomatic assignment in Abu Dhabi immediately upon receipt of the documents, requested by Pakistan, the sources said.