AoA respected members,

As few of the members have lately asked me abt the things in FSP,i wd like to make it all clear here instead of individual replies..

At the very outset,bear in mind tht all occupational grps have got excellent ends in themselves n, of course, all have their advantages n disadvantages.Above all,it really depends upon an individual's temperament and socio-economic background which wd finally lead to either failure or success in ur allocated grp...For example,a news report recently disclosed tht around 40/45 DMG n other groups' officers,except foreign servis officers, r on extended ex-pak leave n reluctant to come back.Incidently,one of them is my cousin who topped pakistan from 13th common...Should v call it civil servants' drain out?

In my view,its their birth right to earn more n more legal dollars n pounds through the application of their God-given talent in the more greener pastures of the world.No doubt,these poor,intelligent chaps can't earn millions legally being in civil servise,except in FSP, n serving in Pakistan in watever grp...Look at the PSP guys who are yearning for getting to UN Peace Missions abroad,they include my own very colleagues..For what?...Legal Dollars n pounds...I hope u know very well the basic salary of a 17 grade civil servant is but only Rs.7140/..While additional facilities vary according to grp n this i have already dwelt upon in detail in some of my previous posts on the matter...

Now v come to Foreign services,the beauty of the civil services,infact..

Once an FSP officer completes STP(specialized trnng program)aftr walton honeymoon in CSA,he/she is posted in Islamabad in some territiorial section of the FO as Asstnt Directr...Within 6 months,he/she is posted out for 1 year language course in some of the best universities in the world...be it spanish,french,arabic,greek rturkish,etc.There he/she is given fully-furnished accomodation in addition to around 80 k/1 lac Rs salary per month...all but legal...Once back,within 6 months he/she is posted out again for 3 years to some country as third secretary in 17 grade...There he/she finds salary above 1 lac Rs per month,come wat may...in addition to fully furnished house,medical facilities n best education for the kids...

Once back frm first postng,aftr remainng at headquarters for 1 n half years maximum,he/she is posted out for another 6 years to two dffrnt countries...three years in each...in.between,he/she is also given full family transit passage to pakistan...after 6 years of postng abroad,he/she usually has already moved into 19 n posted as Director of some desk at headqtrs...Aftr 1 n half years of stay at hdqrtrs maximum,he/she is once again usually postd abroad for 6 another years in 2 dffrnt countries...In 19 grade ,they r posted as either councellors r consulars of some consulate as heads...

In 20 grade,they r either consul generals r anmbassdrs...

And ask any body from scattered diaspora of Pakis abroad what a consul general n ambssdr means to them....

In nutshell,u spend around 20/25 years of ur servis abroad n earning legal dollars...Apart frm it,living a kingly life...meeting the best ppl in the world,living in the best places of the world,n eating the best food of the world...Story does'nt end here,ur 2 kids study in the best institutions of the world at state expenditure till they r 18....Imagine a 17 grade third secretary living in the posh place of Tokyo whose residential rent is 4 lac Rs per month...n whose two kids study in American school,fees of which is 2 lac Rs per month....

Its what v diplomats deserve,only cuz v represent u ppl...

If u r posted abroad,u r not AC income tax,Layyah,r DPO loralai,or AC customs, Sust, but a diplomat...Talk abt servis-orientd repeatd dislocations...How many times other groups officers are transfrrd frm one place to anothr place in Pakistan..the psp might be at top....wat abt our tranfrs,from one section to anothr in the same foren offis n in the same city....No body can get u transfrrd from one district to anothr with any sort of influential power as is the case with other groups...

Once u r in foren servis,u n ur spouse hold the beautifl red-passport...on which u dont require any visa for more than 50 countries...who els holds tht passport,do u know?,,only the president,PM,governrs n CMs of the 4 prvnces n cheif justice supreme court,auditor general n federal ministors,no body els...u r saluted at every intrnational airport n welcomed with a broad smile...u rather have ur own Diplomatic counters at almost all intrnational airports for entry n exit...u dont need stand in queues(wild exceptions apart)...while ur kids n parents have blue/officilal passports on which entry to dozens of countries is without any visa...

Even if u unintentionally kill somebdy abroad,the diplomatic immunity recognized by the world community wont let u be arrestd in country of ur postng....
Such r the priveleges of FSP,not only FSP but for all the diplomatic community of the world....n hence v have phrases like "dining like a diplomat"..n "doing like a diplomat"....

So dear members,i wd really suggest u to keep FSP at top of ur choices,only if u wanna earn legal millions,respect n priveleges n want this sort of fabulous life,not only for u but also for ur next generations...Imagine urself sitting with some of the world-known personality n having eithr lunch r dinner,n PSPs n DMGs n Customs officers of ur batch,roaming around outside for making fool-proof security n customs clearance....

Even if u r female,keep in mind tht even ur spouse is addressed as excellency by the president of the country u r posted in...

Such is the tremendous story of FSP....no haram/no corruption....Roam around the beauty of the world...earn legal millions...n be called "Excellency"...even by president bush...can any othr group colleague imagine of tht??

My little personal experience tells me tht my monthly salary is far more than annual salary of my batcmates in othr groups...not to talk of additional grps...

The disadvantage........yes......v bitterly miss our homeland...my beloved Pakistan.....

Nothng els....i feel like the most fortunate tht i fell in FSP,though my choice was PSP....Allah Almighty really do best for us....

And plz dont think tht all the CSPs are charismatic...they r ordinary souls like u....Bus zara, hard work n lady luck go together....If u belive in urself n Allah Almighty,u gonna do it for sure...

Any further queries wd b happily responded to....
Regards