Islamabad: Pakistan has dropped plans to send Syed Ibne Abbas as the new High Commissioner to India and instead replaced him with career diplomat Abdul Basit, a top Pakistani official said today.
55-year-old Basit was earlier tipped to take over as the Foreign Secretary but the government had last week changed its mind.
Analysts said the move was possibly to accommodate Basit, the current Ambassador to Germany, in the crucial posting.
“Yes, Ibne Abbas is not being appointed to India. Basit will be the new High Commissioner to India,” the official told PTI.
Current Foreign Office Spokesperson and Additional Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry is likely to be appointed the new Foreign Secretary.
However, the official made it clear that a formal notification about Basit's appointment is yet to be made. Abbas' “agreement” (formal consent for posting) had also been sought from the Indian government.
A fresh consent would now be send to the Indian government. Basit had earlier served as the Director General/Foreign Office spokesperson between 2008-2009 and as Additional Secretary (Europe)/Foreign Office Spokesman between 2009-2012.
