The Government of Pakistan has appointed Afzal Mahmood as the new Ambassador for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to media reports, the appointment was notified after the post turned vacant three months ago when the then Ambassador Ghulam Dastgir retired from his service and returned back home. Reportedly, the newly appointed envoy will assume office in Abu Dhabi after the completion of diplomatic formalities with UAE authorities.

Sources said that Afzal Mahmood is currently the country’s Ambassador in Bahrain where he was appointed envoy in August 2018. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry has appointed Muhammad Ayub as Ambassador for Bahrain. Afzal Mahmood is an incisive diplomat who severed at important slots in his career with the Foreign Service.

Moreover, sources said that Pakistan’s Acting High Commissioner for India Syed Haider Shah has been designated as Ambassador for Nepal. Aftab Hasan Khan will be Pakistan’s Acting High Commissioner for India from later this month after Syed Haider Shah’s transfer to the Nepalese capital. Meanwhile, Dr. Mazhar Javed has taken over as High Commissioner in South Africa after the retirement of Dr. Muhammad Sohail.

Pakistan UAE Diplomatic Ties

Earlier Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan is committed to furnace closer cooperation with the United Arab Emirates in diverse fields.

FM Qureshi attended a meeting with UAE Minister of State Reem Al Hashimi on the sidelines of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Niger.

They discussed matters of mutual interest, including Pakistan’s participation in the Expo. They also exchanged opinions on bilateral cooperation on various matters.

On the occasion, he said Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates enjoy fraternal relations based on religious and cultural harmony. They agreed to improve mutual exchanges to develop bilateral cooperation.