ISLAMABAD: In a bid to give Pakistan’s diplomatic offensive a push at the international level, Prime Minister Imran Khan has formed an 18-member task force to provide guidelines, recommendations and new vigour to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
Former envoys believe that the move would largely support providing a new direction to the country’s foreign policy as the task force includes “wise and experienced” minds.
“It is a timely step in the right direction. This would not only strengthen the policymaking process but also provide a new direction to the country’s diplomatic offensive in line with the vision of the new political leadership,” said retired ambassador Asif Durrani.
Explaining further, Durrani said that the council includes two foreign secretaries who have served recently and understand the challenges faced by the country’s foreign ministry. “Moreover, there are scholars who can provide a new impetus to our foreign policy on modern trends.”
When asked if the advisory council had any precedents in the 70-year history of the country, Durrani said he had not seen any such steps within his 32-year-long career at MoFA.
“There have been times when the foreign secretaries consulted former diplomats, but this is the first formal advisory council,” he added.
As per the details of the council, the premier has approved its constitution under the chairmanship of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Members of the council would include former ambassadors Salman Bashir, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and Mohammad Sadiq whereas Dr Rifaat Hussain, Dr Huma Baqai, Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi, Dr Adil Najam, Dr Rabia Akhtar and Qasim Niaz would also be among its members.
Ex-officio members of the council would include the law & justice as well as the finance, revenue & economic affairs ministers besides Commerce, Textiles, Industry, Production & Investment Ministry advisor.
Minister for planning, development & reforms, foreign affairs secretary, director generals of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and Foreign Service Academy, as well as the additional secretary of the Foreign Minister’s Office, would also be among the ex-officio members.
All members of the council will serve in an honourary capacity whereas the foreign minister may appoint ad-hoc additional council members with area expertise and field specialisation as deemed necessary.
The council would be assisted in its work by a secretariat comprising designated officials of the MoFA.
