Pakistan envoy to US Ali Jahangir Siddiqui relinquishes his charge

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to United States Ali Jahangir Siddiqui has relinquished his office, ARY News reported on Monday.

New Pakistani envoy to US Dr. Asad Majeed Khan is expected to take charge soon.

Ali Jahangir Siddiqui while stepping down from his ambassadorial assignment said that he was leaving the Pak-US ties in better condition adding that the two countries are getting engaged in contacts at the high level.

The PTI government on Oct 4, had announced that it had decided to remove political appointees from key ambassadorial positions across the world.

Five ambassadors who were appointed at key world capitals during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) tenure relinquished their offices earlier.

Pakistan’s high commissioner to Canada Tariq Azeem Khan, ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Khan Husham bin Siddique their charge. The ambassadors to Morocco, Cuba and Serbia also handed over their charges to their second-in-command at the respective missions.

Ali Jahangir Siddiqui is facing charges regarding the role of his company in the alleged manipulation of shares that resulted in a loss of billions of rupees to the national treasury.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, earlier said in a media talk that Ali Jahangir Siddqui was appointed on political grounds by the former PML-N government therefore it will be best for him to step down from his office himself or the government would be forced to remove him.