Pakistan to name Maleeha for UN top slot

From Shaiq Hussain
June 26, 2006
The Nation
Original Source: http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/june-2006/26/index6.php


ISLAMABAD - Pakistan will nominate Dr Maleeha Lodhi, incumbent High Commissioner to UK, as its candidate for the UN Secretary General’s slot, The Nation has learnt.

“After hectic consultations among the ruling circles, a decision has been taken about Dr. Lodhi’s candidature for the post of the UN Secretary General which will fall vacant on December 31 when the incumbent Kofi Annan’s second and final term ends,” said a senior official here requesting anonymity.

Earlier, there were conflicting reports about Pakistan’s candidate for the top UN slot with at least three names being mentioned for the purpose including present UN special envoy on HIV/AIDS, Nafis Sadik, Munir Akram, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN and the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

“As for the names of Prime Minister Aziz and Ambassador Akram, it was all rumors but the candidature of Nafis Sadik was considered,” the official said adding that it has been dropped because of age factor and the decision has been taken in the favour of High Commissioner Lodhi. 

Announcement regarding this vital decision was likely after the “Envoys Conference” being held here on June 26-29, he added.

A well-known journalist, academician and diplomat, Dr. Lodhi had earlier served as Ambassador to the United States. Before becoming a diplomat, she was editor of an English daily.

Some media reports earlier suggested that Pakistan was unlikely to go in for a tit-for-tat nomination on India’s bid for the post of UN secretary-general after it came up with the candidature of Shashi Tharoor as candidate for the secretary-general’s job.

However, the official said Pakistan would counter the Indian move and all possible efforts would 
be made for the success of Dr. Lodhi.

According to diplomatic circles here, Indian nominee, who is currently UN under-secretary for communication and public information, is not a strong Asian contender as compared to other candidates from Asia including Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Suriakiart Sathirathaith, who is reportedly Asean bloc’s consensus candidate or Sri Lanka’s top diplomat Jayanatha Dhanapala.

The fourth contender from Asia is South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon whereas some reports also suggested the last-minute announcement of candidature by former prime minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong.