22:04
Unknown
ISLAMABAD: The eighth D-8 Summit proved to be more a setback than image builder as three out of seven heads of states/governments didn’t turn up for the event and Foreign Office failed in making befitting arrangements for the guests after earmarking about Rs10 million for it.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was returned from the Presidency Thursday’s noon when reached there to take part in the summit. He came with due protocol and according to the text of the schedule provided him earlier. He was informed at the outer gate of the Presidential Palace that he should come later as the trilateral meeting is underway between the presidents of Iran, Pakistan and Prime Minister of Turkey. The deputy prime minister of the brotherly country felt embarrassed who had come from his high commission and felt annoyed so much that he returned to his hotel room and asked his staff to make return journey arrangements immediately.
Senior officials of the Protocol Division rushed to him and apologized for the incident since the Foreign Office could intimate his staff well in-time about the change of the programme. Incidentally D-8 Secretary General Widi Agoes Pratikto had to face in the wee hours of Saturday last when he reached Islamabad but none was present at the airport to receive/facilitate him. He hired a taxi cab to reach a hotel in Islamabad.
The major embracement was the gory explosions in various parts of the country just before the commencement of the summit and in the presence of the dignitaries from the brotherly countries. The Foreign Office was advised by the security agencies not to hold the summit in the Ashura days but it was disregarded and the summit was planned for the crucial days.
It was the first D-8 summit where three heads of states stayed absent. Foreign Secretary Syed Jalil Abbas Jailani cited Gaza situation for the calling off the visit by the Egyptian president and he told the media that Muhammad Morsi changed his mind at the eleventh hour because of certain developments in Gaza without giving the exact nature of the developments. The situation was calm as ceasefire was in-place as it was the best day there on Wednesday/Thursday in more than fortnight. Sources pointed out that the explosion of Rawalpinid on Wednesday night that killed twenty four people in fact forced the Egyptian president to change his programme. He was fully prepared to undertake the journey but said blast that took place in the proximity of the federal capital influenced his programme. The Foreign Office was clueless about the real cause of cancellation of the Egyptian president’s visit. This also led to abandonment of his bilateral visit to Pakistan that was about to take place after four decades. The Parliament’s joint session was also cancelled on the morning due to the change of the programme by President Morsi.
The sources said that the Iranian delegation also raised objection about the making and colouring of their national flag. Initially the members of the delegation were furious about it but the senior officials of the Foreign Office prevailed upon by begging their forgiveness, the sources added.
The whole Pakistan media was kept out of the loop during all the events of the D-8 under the Foreign Office right from the beginning, and the newsmen protested against it during the press conference of the foreign secretary who apologized for it and explained that due to scarcity of the space the private media couldn’t be entertained for the event.
The sources said that it was deliberate because the committee dealing with the media expressed its fear that in case private media was allowed it could portray some negative aspect of the happenings.
The summit that was started in the afternoon was culminated in the evening and all the heads of states left Islamabad without staying another night here including the Nigerian president who earlier had scheduled to stay for another day.
The spokesman of the Foreign Office wasn’t available for his comments about the developments in question despite called.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was returned from the Presidency Thursday’s noon when reached there to take part in the summit. He came with due protocol and according to the text of the schedule provided him earlier. He was informed at the outer gate of the Presidential Palace that he should come later as the trilateral meeting is underway between the presidents of Iran, Pakistan and Prime Minister of Turkey. The deputy prime minister of the brotherly country felt embarrassed who had come from his high commission and felt annoyed so much that he returned to his hotel room and asked his staff to make return journey arrangements immediately.
Senior officials of the Protocol Division rushed to him and apologized for the incident since the Foreign Office could intimate his staff well in-time about the change of the programme. Incidentally D-8 Secretary General Widi Agoes Pratikto had to face in the wee hours of Saturday last when he reached Islamabad but none was present at the airport to receive/facilitate him. He hired a taxi cab to reach a hotel in Islamabad.
The major embracement was the gory explosions in various parts of the country just before the commencement of the summit and in the presence of the dignitaries from the brotherly countries. The Foreign Office was advised by the security agencies not to hold the summit in the Ashura days but it was disregarded and the summit was planned for the crucial days.
It was the first D-8 summit where three heads of states stayed absent. Foreign Secretary Syed Jalil Abbas Jailani cited Gaza situation for the calling off the visit by the Egyptian president and he told the media that Muhammad Morsi changed his mind at the eleventh hour because of certain developments in Gaza without giving the exact nature of the developments. The situation was calm as ceasefire was in-place as it was the best day there on Wednesday/Thursday in more than fortnight. Sources pointed out that the explosion of Rawalpinid on Wednesday night that killed twenty four people in fact forced the Egyptian president to change his programme. He was fully prepared to undertake the journey but said blast that took place in the proximity of the federal capital influenced his programme. The Foreign Office was clueless about the real cause of cancellation of the Egyptian president’s visit. This also led to abandonment of his bilateral visit to Pakistan that was about to take place after four decades. The Parliament’s joint session was also cancelled on the morning due to the change of the programme by President Morsi.
The sources said that the Iranian delegation also raised objection about the making and colouring of their national flag. Initially the members of the delegation were furious about it but the senior officials of the Foreign Office prevailed upon by begging their forgiveness, the sources added.
The whole Pakistan media was kept out of the loop during all the events of the D-8 under the Foreign Office right from the beginning, and the newsmen protested against it during the press conference of the foreign secretary who apologized for it and explained that due to scarcity of the space the private media couldn’t be entertained for the event.
The sources said that it was deliberate because the committee dealing with the media expressed its fear that in case private media was allowed it could portray some negative aspect of the happenings.
The summit that was started in the afternoon was culminated in the evening and all the heads of states left Islamabad without staying another night here including the Nigerian president who earlier had scheduled to stay for another day.
The spokesman of the Foreign Office wasn’t available for his comments about the developments in question despite called.
Posted in: National
0 comments:
Post a Comment