New Consul General of Pakistan to Take Charge in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA: Abdul Jabbar Memon is scheduled to replace Hamid Ashghar Khan as the Consul General at the Pakistan Consulate in Los Angeles by the end of December 2015.

Immediately prior to his appointment as Pakistan's Consul General in Los Angeles, Abdul Jabbar Memeon served as the Director General Afghanistan, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. Memon has held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad. He has served as the Third Secretary, Embassy of Pakistan, Madrid, First Secretary/Counsellor, Embassy of Pakistan, Cairo and Counsellor/Minister, High Commission of Pakistan, Pretoria. Memon is tentatively scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles by December 21, 2015.

The outgoing Consul General Hamid Asghar Khan has been recalled by the Government of Pakistan and though his last day as the Consul General was November 20, 2015, it is reported that he will continue to serve in this capacity till the new Consul General takes over the charge.

Government’s dissatisfaction with Hamid Asghar Khan, largely stemming from the community complaints against him, forced his premature replacement, according to insiders. He has served less than a year at this posting. The normal tenure for such postings is three years. A report published in Pakistan’s leading newspaper Dawn on October 14, 2015 noted that this is not the first time that Khan has been recalled from a foreign posting.

Khan is reported to have alienated and split the community. Unlike his predecessors, he has not received any farewell parties as is the custom of the community. Also several events that were planned with him as the chief guest have been cancelled. One such event was scheduled to be held on December 3, 2015 by the Orange County World Affairs Council. It is speculated that the event was cancelled by the organizers due to the concerns about the reputation of the CG.