In a telling signal of change and continuity, Pakistan's Ambassador to Washington Maj. Gen. (retd) Mahmud Ali Durrani will be appointed as the National Security Adviser after he relinquishes charge of his present assignment and returns to Pakistan, said a news report. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has already given the green light for the appointment that will make room for ambassador-at-large Husain Haqqani to assume charge of Pakistan ambassador to Washington, leading English language daily The News reported. The new government's plans for the change were conveyed to Durrani when he was in Pakistan just a few days back. Durrani arrived in Islamabad last week on a short visit. He met Zardari and his key aides including Haqqani during his brief stay here. He also met President Pervez Musharraf and top officials of key institutions. According to PPP insiders, Durrani had a good rapport with late PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. He and Ms. Bhutto met and dined together when she visited Washington last year. Durrani was appointed ambassador to the US by Musharraf in June 2006 to abruptly replace his predecessor General (retd) Jehangir Karamat. He presented his credentials to President Bush in July 2006. His contractual appointment as ambassador expires in June this year. According to informed sources, Haqqani will assume the charge of Pakistan's ambassador to the US once Durrani returns. It is believed that the main PPP coalition partner, the PML-N, and other allies also appear comfortable with this arrangement. Haqqani was appointed ambassador-at-large only the other day. Haqqani served as advisor to three Pakistani prime ministers - Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto - and was appointed ambassador to Sri Lanka in 1992. Indications are that Durrani may be asked to move back to Pakistan before June to assume charge of his new assignment in Islamabad. __
