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Pakistani diplomat to go home

WASHINGTON: Muhammad Sadiq, minister and deputy head of mission at the Pakistan embassy here, has finally been transferred. According to a message circulated by the diplomat, he will be returning to Pakistan at the end of December. The email sent to the Pakistani community says, “My tour of duty in Washington coincided with a challenging time for Pakistan, the Pakistani-American community and Pakistan-US relations. I am extremely grateful for the trust, understanding and support I had received from the community. I am sure that my successor will have similar support from you. Without your continued help our valuable initiatives would not survive.” The officer was known for his penchant for self-promotion. One of his seniors explained it philosophically, “There are different ways in which different people get their kicks. His may be self-projection.” This newspaper and its correspondent remained in the Pakistani diplomat’s “bad books” for almost the entire length of his stay in Washington. Even press releases sent out by his office, which were quite often vehicles projecting the minister’s achievements - such as his becoming the first Pakistani diplomat to land on a US battleship - went to everyone except Daily Times. It was only recently that Ambassador Jehangir Karamat added this newspaper’s name to the list maintained and operated by his deputy. It is not clear what Sadiq’s next assignment is going to be, but it is likely to be home-based. He served in Beijing (1998-2000), Brussels (1994-98) and Belgrade (1984-88). At the Foreign Office, he worked variously as director for Kashmir Affairs, Commonwealth of Independent States and Administration. khalid hasan

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