ISLAMABAD -  Three top candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant slot of foreign secretary are in a neck-and-neck race to clinch the post, The Nation has learnt.

Incumbent foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry is set to fly to Washington to replace Jalil Abbas Jilani as ambassador.

His name has been approved by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but a formal notification will be issued after acceptance by the US.

Chaudhry is in return likely to be replaced by one of the top three candidates - ambassador to Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva Tehmina Janjua, High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Syed Ibne Abbas.

One of them is likely to take the Geneva seat after a formal decision has been taken on the foreign secretary slot.

Officials at the foreign ministry, while talking to The Nation on Friday said that Pakistan’s ambassador in China Masood Khalid and former ambassador to France Ghalib Iqbal were also candidates for the foreign secretary’s post.

“But so far Tehmina Janjua is the front runner. You never know about the final decision,” said a senior official at the foreign ministry. He added: “The appointments will be made in the coming days. There will be some reshuffle due to the appointments.”

Sources said that PM Sharif had chosen Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry as ambassador to the US for his diplomatic skills.

In fact, the sources said, the government had wanted veteran Jilani to continue so that Chaudhry could remain the foreign secretary but Jilani refused extension beyond the expiry of his contract this month.

Another official said that the three top candidates were “equally suitable” to assume the foreign secretary’s job.

“Even if you include other aspirants [apart from the three], a senior officer from among them will be appointed as the foreign secretary. We have a team of competent officers,” he maintained.

Tehmina Janjua joined Foreign Service in 1984 and is considered a talented diplomat. From 1986-1987 she was the desk officer, Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Foreign Office. In 1989, she was appointed acting director of the Office of the National Security Adviser. From 1990-1995, she remained second secretary and later first secretary, Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations.

Janjua remained director Foreign Secretary's Office from 1995-1996. From 1996-2000, she was the counsellor Pakistan Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Geneva.

In 2000, she became director Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Office. From 2004-2005, she was appointed director Foreign Secretary's Office. Afterwards, from 2005-2009, she became the deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva.

From 2009-2011, she served as director-general (Strategic Planning) in the Foreign Secretary's Office.

In 2011, she was appointed spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad and director-general (Strategic Planning) Foreign Secretary's Office.

From December 2011 to October 2015, she remained ambassador of Pakistan to Italy.

On October 6, 2015 she was posted as Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva.

She retains the slot till date.

On the other hand, Abdul Basit, the current High Commissioner to India, is another serious candidate for the foreign ministry’s top job. He held various diplomatic assignments - Moscow (1985-1988), New York (1991-1994), Sana (1994-1997), Geneva (2001-2003), London (September 2003 - August 2008) - at Pakistan missions abroad.

Basit served at the headquarters as section officer (1983-1988 and 1991), director (1997-2001), director general (2008-2009), spokesman (2009-2012) and additional secretary (Europe) 2010-2012. 

Before arriving in New Delhi, he was Pakistan’s ambassador to Germany from May 2012 to March 2014.

The third candidate, Syed Ibne Abbas, the incumbent High Commissioner of Pakistan to the UK, assumed the charge of the current assignment on October 4, 2014.

Prior to this, he served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad, as the additional foreign secretary.

Abbas also served as the High Commissioner for Pakistan to New Zealand 2010-2013. He was the consul general of Pakistan at Los Angeles, California (US) from 2006-2010.

At the headquarters in Islamabad, he served as the director-general South Asia and South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation.  He also served as the deputy secretary at the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

Abbas also held various diplomatic assignments - New Delhi (2001-2004), Canberra (1998-2001), Geneva (1992-1994) and Berne (1989-1992) - at the Pakistan missions abroad.

He represented Pakistan and led delegations on several occasions on bilateral and multilateral fora.

Abbas attended the 1997 and 2006 UN General Assembly sessions as a Pakistan delegate.

He represented Pakistan at the Conference on Disarmament and attended meetings of the SAARC and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Officials said that Prime Minister Sharif was carefully making “United States-specific” changes in the foreign ministry, and the Pakistan embassy in Washington to deal with the incoming Donald Trump administration.