Pak appoints new envoy to India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday appointed career diplomat and an old India hand Shahid Malik as its new High Commissioner to New Delhi, replacing Aziz Ahmed Khan.

Malik, who hold a Masters Degree in Economics, is currently Pakistan's High Commissioner in Canada. He had served as a diplomat in New Delhi in 1992-95.

"Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan announces the appointment of Shahid Malik as High Commissioner for Pakistan to India," an official announcement said.

Malik would succeed Khan who has retired from service and is currently on an extension, which is expected to end shortly.

His appointement came ahead of an expected announcement by India naming its new High Commissioner to Islamabad in place of Shivshankar Menon, who will take over as Foreign Secretary on October 1.

Both sides will have new envoys at a time when they are set to resume their composite dialogue, stalled since the July 11 Mumbai train blasts.

The decision to resume the parleys was taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf during a meeting in Havana earlier this month. The two leaders also decided to set a joint mechanism to tackle terrorism.

Malik has also served at Pakistan's diplomatic missions in Tokyo, Rome, Washington and held various posts in the Foreign Office.