Bashir to continue as Pakistan's envoy to India

Former Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir will continue as Pakistan's envoy to India as caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso has allowed all "non-career and contractual ambassadors" to remain in their positions till the formation of the next government.
Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry today said Khoso had issued an order permitting non-career and contractual envoys to work till the formation of the next government following the general election to be held on May 11.
Pakistan currently has 19 non-career and contractual ambassadors who were appointed by the previous Pakistan People's Party-led government.
The country has a total of 90 ambassadors and there is a fixed quota of 20 per cent for non-career and contractual envoys.

Bashir was appointed the High Commissioner to Delhi shortly after he retired as Foreign Secretary.
Bashir and senior PPP leader Sherry Rehman, currently the envoy to the US, are among the non-career and contractual ambassadors appointed by the last government.