Chowrangi

According to Wikipedia, Ambassador at-Large is a Diplomat of the Highest rank and/ or a Minister who is accredited to represent his country.

Unlike the Ambassador in Residence (who is usually limited to a country)and/or embassy, the Ambassador-at-large is entrusted to operate in several usually neighbouring countries, a Region or sometimes a seat of international organizations like the United Nations/ European Union. In some cases an Ambassador at Large may even be specifically assigned a role to Advise and Assist the State or Government in particular issues. Historically, Presidents or Prime Ministers have designated special diplomatic envoys for specific assignments, primarily overseas but sometimes also within the country as Ambassadors-at-Large.

So, it seems that Ambassador at-large is pretty dignified position, honored upon statesmen of high caliber for specific assignments. However, the government of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani took this honorable position as a grade-18 government job.

Till recently, there was only one ambassador at-large, Sharifuddin Pirzada, who was appointed more than a decade ago and still continuing, but now the list exploded to 10, including Khalil Ahmad (also chairman of the Task Force on Recruitment), Kareem Khan Agha, Salman Farooqi (also deputy chairman Planning Commission), Hussain Haqqani (also serving as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US), Nasir Ali Khan, Hamid A Kidwai, Zia Isphahani, Dr Akbar Khwaja, and Anchor Javed Malik of the ARY Television.

“At international moots, they check and rewrite all speeches prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said a report, recently contributed by Shireen M Mazari for The News, adding, “they allegedly informed the foreign secretary that the foreign ministry should stop focusing on China as Pakistan’s major ally because now there was going to be a major reorientation towards the US and India.”

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, ambassadors a-large receive diplomatic passports but there are no other perks and privileges associated with the position. However, Ansar Abbasi quotes a Foreign Office source:

.. some of these ambassadors had started sitting in the Foreign Office while the ministry was expected to provide offices and staff to some others too. The source said some directors in the ministry have been asked to vacate their rooms for these ambassadors.

They have also been offered salaries along with other perks and privileges, including staff car, etc.

Other posts by Kashif Aziz

• Urgently Wanted : Federal Ministers - November 19th, 2008
• GEO TV Transmission blocked in Karachi? - November 17th, 2008
• American meat exporters using fradulent halal certificates - November 14th, 2008
• The case of Khanani and Kalia - November 10th, 2008
• Alcohol Exports Bring $220 Million To Pakistan - November 9th, 2008
• Open Letter of Appreciation to Government of Pakistan - November 5th, 2008
• Earthquake Strikes in Balochistan: More than 250 dead, 20,000 displaced - October 30th, 2008
• Pity the Nation - October 26th, 2008
• Lab Pay Aati Hai Dua .. Ban Kay Tamanna Meri - October 16th, 2008
• Predictions of the Century: The Fate of Sarah Palin, and Asif Ali Zardari and United States of America - October 12th, 2008