hold on to your emotions.
my father was a Minister at the Embassy of Pakistan, Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma) from 1993 till 1997.
The official vehicle for the ambassador was a 1992 Chevrolet Caprice Classic, one which not even the American Embassy had till 1995. In a country as backward as that, even the tires of this car had to be imported from Dubai. In 1998 when the US imposed sanctions on Pakistan, Nawaz Shariff ordered that no one in the country or in the embassies abroad could import vehicles and were thus to replace and current ones with those locally available. However, since it was his 'hum zulf' (wife's brother in law) who was the Ambassador then, a replacement from abroad was requested. My father had been posted as the DG Missions and Finance at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on his return from Burma and thus asked him under vot circumstances he was asking for that. Despite having met him for a general briefing about the country and its people before leaving, Ambassador Saab had completely forgotten whom he was talking to and foolishly replied, 'this import had been approved two years ago but never materialized.'
Now that you know my background, let me tell those unaware that in sensitive countries like the US, UK or India, the favorites of the President and Premier are sent as envoys. a fellow PakWheelian recently returned from India and told me about the luxury of vehicles the Ambassador there enjoys. it's shamefully more or less the same.
I agree that there is a matter of prestige and sense of security for envoys but one needs to strike a balance. I would like to remind you all of the incident where ZA Bhutto once went to some country abroad begging for aid. the President there replied, 'Mr. Prime Minister, i'm surprised that you have come with such a large delegation (SEVENTY SIX people) asking for aid '..................