Mr Shamshad Ahmad's loud protest about the appointment of a Grade-20 DMG officer to France as ambassador, apparently to promote import of high quality livestock from Francophone regions, has certainly echoed around the world. A close friend in Barbados Foreign Ministry in Bridegetown sent Shamshad Ahmad's article to me on line, followed by a similar email from a friend in Mauritius. As a former officer of the Pakistan Foreign Service who retired early for personal reasons, I too am appalled that the democratic government is taking such stupid decisions that would gather no popular support for it if discussed publicly. I can understand why Foreign Office mandarins are not speaking openly about this appointment; they are bound by their 'Hippocratic Oath' of not questioning the decisions of the government about promotions and postings. It is time, though, that the Foreign Secretary and his peers take a collective decision to resign from their positions and let some tonga-wallas take over the job of making the foreign policy of the country. Jokes aside, if the Foreign Minister, indeed, believes that he cannot find any professional officer in his Ministry or in Pakistani missions abroad, especially for appointment as important as Paris, let this position be advertised publicly through the FPSC without assigning a regional quota. If it happens, I will be first to respond to this advertisement because I think I can do a better job than the present nominee to Paris. -SYED SHARFUDDIN, London, June 29.