Biratnagar: The new Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal, Abrar Hashmi, has arrived Kathmandu, April 10, 2023 to take up his new assignment to the court of Nepal., say Pakistan embassy sources.
Ambassador designate has just replaced Syed Haider Shah who was Pakistan’s envoy to Nepal.
Ambassador Hashmi has been appointed, according to an official of the Pakistani Embassy in Kathmandu, by the Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the express recommendation of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto zardari.
Notably, Ambassador designate Abrar H. Hashmi previously has worked as the Consul General in Texas Houston, USA.
Mr. Hashmi, a career diplomat prior to joining as Consul General in Houston, held important assignments both at Pakistani Missions abroad and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad.
He has obtained a Master’s degree in International Policy (Australia) and is also a Science Graduate from Peshawar University (1991-93).
Apart from these highly academic qualifications, Ambassador designate Abrar Hashim is a Fellow on “fresh water diplomacy” (2017-18) at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA), Carleton University, Canada.
He has also served as the Director, “Kashmir & India division (2009-10) dealing with bilateral political issues, Kashmir dispute and water sharing etc.
Nepali media men and academic personalities hope that the new Ambassador interacts with them on a regular basis which was absent during the tenure of the previous Ambassador Hyder Shah.
As is strongly believed in the political circuit in Kathmandu that for an India dominated and dictated Nepal, the arrival of new Pakistan Ambassador Abrar Hashmi will be a “challenging job”, say media sources in Kathmandu.
To recall, neighboring Pakistan is a distinguished member of the SAARC regional body.
It is hoped that with the arrival of the new Pakistani envoy, he will work together with the host government to resume the functioning of the inert SAARC regional body.
Nepal is the current Chair of the SAARC regional grouping.