ISLAMABAD: Controversy over austerity proposals continues to rage at the Foreign Office, but no one among its top bosses is ready to stand up for the proposed cuts being criticised by the foreign service officials.
Following the federal cabinet’s directive for a 30 per cent cut in expenditures of all ministries, the Foreign Office top brass had proposed closure of some missions and reduction in allowances of diplomats posted abroad.
Although the austerity proposals were prepared by the administration wing, media reports about them have forced top functionaries of the Foreign Office to distance themselves from them.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, who is currently on a visit to China, conveyed a message through one of his officers that he had not initiated the proposals. The messenger suggested that it was the ministry’s bureaucracy which had made the suggestions.
The messenger quoted Mr Fatemi as having said that he was away from the country when the recommendations were firmed up. At the time he was in China to prepare for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s trip to the country.
A source had earlier said that Mr Fatemi had pushed the austerity proposals.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with viewpoints in the foreign secretary’s office said that Jalil Abbas Jillani was opposed to doing anything that would affect the morale of the service or its requirements.
At a media briefing, Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry had said: “The prime minister has directed that all government expenditures should be reduced. We have also been asked to prepare proposals to cut down the expenditure by up to 30 per cent. In compliance with the directive, the foreign ministry has formulated some austerity proposals. The prime minister will take a final decision on the matter.”
Later in a conversation with Dawn, the spokesman contested the number of missions proposed to be shut down to cut expenditure. He said the figure was less than 22, but wouldn’t exactly say how many. Five missions identified for closure in the first phase are in Port Louis (Mauritius), Santiago (Chile), Niamey (Niger), Belgrade (Serbia) and Sarajevo (Bosnia). The plan to open a consulate in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas has also been shelved.
A member of the foreign affairs committee of the senate said the number of missions being considered for closure was 15.