Islamabad, Pakistan: Termination of Syed Tariq Fatemi from the post of Special Assistant to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may have several justifications but this development would surely have negative impact on Foreign Policy of Pakistan towards Eurasia, particularly Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
This development took place just a month before Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit that is scheduled to be held in Astana on June 9 to embrace Pakistan as full member.
Diplomatic circles of SCO countries consider departure of Fatemi from Foreign Office team of Pakistan as a shocking development. Meanwhile, his departure can have impact on already tensed Pak-Iran relationship because Fatimi had been a balancing factor during the last one year when Pak-Iran relations went through a bad patch of diplomatic relations.
Fatimi being a career diplomat is respected and popular among diplomats of Russia and former Soviet Union states because of his command on Russian language and his background as an expert in Russian Diplomacy Studies.
The swift success of Pakistan in consolidating diplomatic relations with Central Asian and Eastern European is surely a great achievement of Fatimi who gave a new dimension to Foreign Policy of Pakistan.
Tariq Fatimi was clamped in Dawn Leaks controversy in October last year but social media followers could see a systematic campaign against Fatimi even before Dawn Leaks issue took place.
In his letter to his staff in Foreign Office, Fatemi on Tuesday said that he would be available if needed. Fatemi has a strong influence over Foreign Policy of Pakistan being a teacher of Foreign Service Academy, the National Defense University and the Administrative Staff College.
