There are some ambassadorial assignments which are considered to be very important.For instance, prudence demands that extremely qualified career diplomats should be posted at stations like Washington, Moscow,Beijing, Riyadh,Tehran, Kabul, New Delhi, to mention a few.Unfortunately due care was seldom exercised in the matter in the past and,more often than not,postings of ambassadors in these countries were made on considerations other than merit.
Let us hope that the present government would make it a point to appoint the best of best career diplomats as ambassadors in these countries .In the same manner,extreme care need to be exercised while making appointments of press attaches in our foreign missions. Experience of hindsight reveals that in the past quite often it were the blue eyed boys of the higher-ups in the Information ministry or those having right connection in the corridors of power who were sent as press attaches abroad. There are some yardsticks which need to be used while gauging the performance of the press attaches posted in our Missions abroad.For instance,how is their relationship with the media managers of the country they are posted in?How many articles and other publications are published by them in the newspapers of these countries? What steps are taken by them to nullify the adverse propaganda carried out against Pakistan in the print and electronic media of these countries.
This is not to suggest that no ambassadorial assignment be made from the private sectors.Granted that there is a lot of talent available outside the Foreign office which can be made use of also in the matter but that should be exception rather than rule.
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