DAMMAM, 9 September 2004 — Former Chief Minister of Pondicherry M.O.H. Farooq has been named the new Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia and is likely to arrive in Riyadh on Sept. 27, according to Indian Embassy sources.
Farooq, a former leader of the Congress party, will replace Kamaluddin Ahmad who is leaving the Kingdom on Sept. 17 after completing two years of his three-year tenure.
Ahmad’s departure was on the cards since the coming of Congress-led government in New Delhi. Foreign Minister Natwar Singh had said that all political appointees at the Indian missions abroad would be asked to quit.
Ahmad, however, still continued as ambassador because the Indian Ministry of External Affairs was looking for a suitable Muslim diplomat. Failing to get a senior Muslim diplomat to the government’s liking, the ministry began searching for politicians. The mantle finally fell on Farooq who was an ex-member of the Indian Central Haj Committee.
