The new regime in Pakistan has reportedly decided to appoint the countrys Ambassador to the US Mahmud Ali Durrani as the new National Security Adviser.
Islamabad, Mar 29 : The new regime in Pakistan has reportedly decided to appoint the country's Ambassador to the US Mahmud Ali Durrani as the new National Security Adviser.
Durrani's contractual appointment as ambassador expires in June. Indications are that Ambassador Durrani may be asked to move back to Pakistan before June to assume charge of his new assignment in Islamabad.
PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is learnt to have given the green signal for the appointment that will make room for ambassador-at-large Husain Haqqani to assume charge of the country's ambassador to the US.
The new government's plans for the change were conveyed to Ambassador Durrani when he was in Pakistan just a few days back, reported The News.
The sources said Durrani arrived here last week on a short visit and left for Washington just a couple of days back. Duding his stay in Islamabad, Durrani met Zardari and his key aides, including Hussain Haqqani. He also met President Pervez Musharraf and other top officials of key institutions.
According to PPP insiders, Durrani had a good rapport with late PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto. Durrani and Ms Bhutto met and dined together when she visited Washington last year.
Durrani was appointed ambassador to the US by President Pervez Musharraf in June 2006 to abruptly replace his predecessor Jehangir Karamat. He presented his credentials to President Bush in July 2006.
After retiring from the Pakistani Army, Durrani got actively involved in the peace efforts between Pakistan and India. Also, as part of a UN sponsored process, he worked with former senior officials from the US, Russia and Iran to find a peaceful settlement to the Afghan crisis.
ANI