New Delhi: India on May 13 formally announced the appointment of Shiv Shankar Menon, its Ambassador to China, as the new High Commissioner to Pakistan, nearly 17 months after New Delhi recalled its top Envoy from Islamabad soon after terrorist attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001.

Fifty-four year-old Menon, who succeeds Vijay K Nambiar, is expected to take up his assignment shortly, it was officially announced in New Delhi.

Official sources said there was no time frame fixed on Ambassadorial appointments and that certain administrative procedures have to be completed. Menon may take anywhere between four to six weeks to take charge of his new assignment.

A seasoned diplomat, Menon, besides China, has also served in Israel, Sri Lanka and Japan. He has also had a stint in the Department of Atomic Energy.

He will follow in the footsteps of Nambiar, who moved from Beijing to Islamabad as India's Envoy. Nambiar has since taken over as India's permanent representative at the UN.

Menon's appointment is being seen as a "major political gesture" and comes within days of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's announcement in Parliament that a High Commissioner would be appointed.

New Delhi had quickly sent in Menon's name for acceptance by Islamabad, which lost no time in doing so.

Pakistan, however, is yet to send in the name of its High Commissioner to India.

PTI