LHC moved against Ali Jahangir Siddiqui's nomination as envoy to US

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday has been petitioned against the appointment of prime minister’s special assistant Ali Jhangir Siddiqui as Pakistan’s new ambassador to the United States (US).

The petitioner adopted a stance that the appointment has been made without consulting the federal cabinet.

The petition contends that the appointee doesn’t have the prerequisite experience to serve as an ambassador to the US, hence the court should immediately declare Siddiqui’s appointment as null and void.

The court has been moved a day after Siddiqui was appointed as the country’s new ambassador to the United States on Thursday.

Former foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhary was serving as ambassador to the Washington before he retired last month.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has given approval of the nomination of Mr. Siddiqui. The new envoy holds a BA in Economics from Cornell University, US.

In August 2017, Siddiqui was appointed as a special assistant to the premier with the status of a state minister. He is the son of the famous banker and businessman, Jahangir Siddiqui.

Ali Jahangir has served as a director in Airblue, Lucky Cement, Azgard Nine along with several other companies. In 2014, he was honoured as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

He also holds some public sector experience after he served as a member of the Privatisation Commission, a member of the Private Sector Advisory Board of the Planning Commission, a member of the Sindh Board of Investment, and as a member of the Community Development Board of the Government of Sindh.