One of the biggest such mistakes, recently, has been his decision to send Kamran Shafi--a Pakistani journalist/news analyst and ex-Pakistan Army soldier-- as Pakistan's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, which seems to be a rash and ill-advised step. Once again, it seems, the politics of narrow-minded self-interest has swept away all larger national considerations, and favouritism and jobbery are rife. How so, in this case? Let us see.
Mr Kamran Shafi, while a long-serving journalist with some sane views, is mostly hysterical and loudmouthed in his opinions, and is hardly 'diplomatic' in his dealings and actions. Not quite the best choice to send to the UK, or any other major, sensitive embassy posting abroad at this crucial time, at all. One wonders, are there no good Foreign Office ''babus'' left to take on theis onerous charge in London to replace present High Commissioner Mr Wajid Shams ul Hassan, who has been there for quite some time? Is a political style posting really advisable there? If not then why not opt for a Foreign Office (FO) officer, or if necessary at all costs, then why not think about this matter carefully and select someone more appropriate? Does Mr Nawaz Sharif require someone to look after his own personal interests in the UK, somehow? Why this rather flabbergasting choice?
In addition to his hysterical attitudes, Mr Shafi is also a bad choice as Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK, or as the country's ambassador/representative to anywhere, on several other counts. Some of these are mentioned below:
1. Mr Shafi is an ex Pakistan Army major, although he tends to make a lot of hue and cry supposedly 'against' the army -- yet, strangely, at the same time, he seems to have all manners of mysterious connections with covert organizations here. In addition, and more disturbingly still, he is closely connected to some army officers and other people who have served in the suspect ISI and some of whom, have been probably implicated in hiding Osama bin Laden in the hill city of Abbottabad in North West Pakistan, and who were conveniently 'forgotten' during the recently concluded inquiries and investigations of the so-called 'Abbottabad Commission'. In addition to these pro- terrorist connections (despite all his hypocritical ravings and pretensions) he is also very closely related to the infamous Hamesh Khan, a criminal in Pakistan who perpetrated a massive bank fraud in the country and, via this cousin of his, also connected to many other insalubrious persons. Do we really want to have such a person as our High Commissioner or ambassador anywhere at all? It is also worth remembering that Mr Shafi has, in the past, been very closely linked to the Pakistan People's Party and the late Benazir Bhutto sent him to the UK too, in the early 1990s; but later on, Mr Shafi switched his loyalties to Mian Nawaz Sharif and the PML-Nawaz. He is a highly political creature and on this count, too, to be looked upon with suspicion. Isnt it time that we stopped promoting such opportunists and time-servers in our sad and pathetic polity? Is it at all advisable to do so?
2. Mr Shafi belongs to the famous Mian (Arain) family of Baghbanpura, Lahore, and thus also has very close connections to Nawaz Sharif and Co, at various levels. In many circles, he is viewed as the PM's 'personal choice' --not for any diplomatic reasons or rationale, but as essentially a PML-N stooge, who will probably be used to further various nefarious political ends in the UK; maybe also looking after the PM's personal investments and interests there. Again, what sort of actions are these, to nominate and send out such an individual, of such shockingly dubious and lax credentials, to serve as a lackey in London?
If PM Sharif must necessarily send a 'political' appointee (although we dont for a minute agree, the FO should be entirely capable of manning the UK High Commission) why cant he make a more sensible and rational decision and nominate some other person, who at least has the right credentials to represent Pakistan and Pakistani interests properly, out there? If it has to be someone with military connections, why not our outgoing COAS General Kiyani? One is sure that he has done good service and is a much more experienced administrator and someone capable of dealing excellently with people abroad? Or, if it has to be someone with political and/or media connections, why cant PM Sharif take other party leaders and senior media personnel into confidence and find a consensus candidate? By themselves, party and personal choices are not at all a good idea, at any time.
Whether the UK Government has the courage to reject the candidature of the highly suspect Kamran Shafi, doesnt really matter. Self-accountability is the thing and the Sharif led PML-N came in on a manifesto of real comprehensive change, this time round, so lets see a proper transparent appointment process, please. It is also hoped and prayed that the large Pakistani expatriate community in the UK will also take a hand in this particular issue and outrightly reject Kamran Shafi, once and for all. If the PML-N still insists on sending him, let them boycott him publicly.
Lets see what happens, and what sort of wisdom or lack of it, manifests itself.
