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Journalism of Courage
Despite the change of regime in Islamabad,Prime Minister-designate of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif is going to make a departure from the usual practice of changing the envoy to India. Salman Bashir is set to continue as the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi,sources have told The Indian Express .
Bashir,who is currently in Pakistan on leave,is slated to return early June to resume his diplomatic assignment in India. He had come to India as the Pakistan envoy in June last year,after being appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari.
The normal convention is that the Pakistan establishment changes its envoy to India usually a political appointee once there is a regime change in Islamabad. However,the new leadership under Sharif has decided to maintain continuity by not replacing the incumbent this time. This fits in well with Sharifs assurance to PMs special envoy S K Lambah that the two sides have to take the relations forward,despite the challenges.
Bashir,who was Foreign secretary of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012,had played a key role in bringing the bilateral ties back on track after the Mumbai attack,with some intensive diplomacy with then Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao.
A career diplomat,he enjoys respect in the Pakistan establishment,including of current Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani,who served as an additional secretary under Bashir. While Bashir has accepted the assignment,sources said Sharif is also likely to appoint former envoy to the US Tariq Fatemi as foreign policy advisor. Fatemi has served as Pakistans envoy to the European Union and Jordan.
Sources said Sharif is likely to keep the foreign ministers portfolio with himself,and may appoint a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
