ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, tested positive for Covid-19 and was placed in quarantine last week.
He could not conduct just concluded first high-profile visit of Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar to Russia, who led Pakistan delegation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads of government summit held in Kremlin’s St Catherine Hall Moscow and chaired by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
The diplomatic sources told The News that Giyan Chand, a Hindu senior officer of Foreign Service of Pakistan (FSP) who is Minister/Deputy head of mission/ head of chancery at the embassy in Moscow, conducted just concluded visit.
Tirmizi, who had to submit his credentials to host President Vladimir Putin, had made all diplomatic preparations, failed to appear in the summit.
The sources said that a senior officer of the Foreign Office, Ms. Ayesha Farhat, was present in the SCO meeting to assist Senator Ishaq Dar. She is the country’s coordinator for the SCO.
Giyan Chand, who performed diplomatic assignment during the last month’s high-level multinational talks on Afghanistan held in Moscow, for the second time led Pakistan’s diplomatic team in the high echelon international gathering of the leaders. Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi had to present his credentials to President Putin on November 5, but the ceremony was deferred.
