NEW DELHI: With Shiv Shankar Menon ready to step into foreign secretary Shyam Saran’s shoes, India’s high commission in Islamabad will be without an envoy at a time when efforts are on to kick start the stalled peace process with Pakistan.
Ironically, Aziz Ahmed Khan, Musharraf's man in Delhi is also due to leave India in six to eight weeks time. Khan a career diplomat has already got a year’s extension and is looking forward to his retirement. He also believes it is time for a new man to take over.
The timing for both moves is unfortunate, as ties between the two countries are at the moment at a delicate stage and needs careful handling to pick up the thread.
Incidentally, Aziz Ahmed Khan and Menon are good friends, having served in Vienna at the same time.
Menon will accompany the Prime Minister to Brazil and Havanna, and once he gets back, he will be busy taking over from Saran.
There is now an urgency to quickly move Menon’s replacement to Islamabad. So far, the government has given no indication when the new envoy will be announced. But the race for the coveted post is on.
Islamabad is a highly prized posting for any Indian diplomat, and a stint there is often a must to aim of the top slot of foreign secretary later. For Pakistan diplomats too, Delhi is a difficult but prize posting.
The race for Menon’s job began the day the announcement was made. Leading the pack is India’s current ambassador to China, Nalin Suri. He is a Chinese speaker, like Menon and understands that country well.
Many believe that an in-depth knowledge of China is an additional qualification in dealing with Pakistan, which is a close friend and neighbour.
However, there are many others in the running, including Vivek Katju, the current ambassador to Thailand. Katju was heading the Pakistan Afghanistan and Iran desk in South Block, before being posted as ambassador to Kabul, soon after the Taliban were ousted.
Katju, however, is regarded as a hardliner and may not fill the slot at a time when peace efforts are on. Islamabad held LK Advani and Katju responsible for the Agra fiasco.
That could be a damper. Raminder Jassal, a former foreign office spokesman, who is now in Washington is also in the race.
