examination conducted annually by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) of Pakistan. Foreign Service of Pakistan is among the top three groups along with Pakistan Administrative Service and Police Service of Pakistan. The Establishment Division in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces annually the number of vacancies of officers in the Foreign Affairs Group, which vary from year to year. Officers of the Foreign Service of Pakistan undergo common training at the Civil Services Academy, Lahore and later are given six months specialized training at the Foreign Service Academy, Islamabad. The officers also undergo language learning trainings at various prestigious universities/institutions abroad to learn different languages including Arabic, French, German, Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese etc. Fully funded Language scholarships offered by other countries are also availed. The Ministry thus has a rich reservoir of officers who are well versed in different languages. Foreign Service of Pakistan is a cadre that runs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Pakistan) as well as Pakistan's Embassies/High Commissions/Consulates in other countries of the world. Ranks After the initial training period, junior officers join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad and serve in the political, administrative or protocol wings. Or rather begin their diplomatic careers abroad. Rise in ranks at headquarters and missions are: Headquarters: Assistant Director BPS-17 Deputy Director BPS-18 Director BPS-19 Director General BPS-20 Additional/Special Secretary BPS-21 Secretary (head of Deptt.) BPS-22 Missions Abroad: Third Secretary/Vice Consul BS-17 Second Secretary/Consul BS-18 First Secretary/Deputy Consul General BS-19 Consul General/Ambassador/High Commissioner Trivial Areas BS-20 Ambassador/High Commissioner Important Areas BS-21 Note: Consul Generals and other envoys toward low political profile missions and are lower by virtue of rank as well and can be compared with DGs. Ambassadors and High Commissioners toward high profile nations however rank higher and are Special Secretaries; equivalent of administrative Additional Secretaries in national headquarters. Envoy of one Commonwealth country to another is termed High Commissioner. Progress of women as diplomats As a result of Administrative Reforms of 1972'' under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto regime, Foreign Service of Pakistan was opened even much more to women in Pakistan after 1973. Here are some of the distinguished women diplomats: Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan (Ambassador to Netherlands) ( 1954 – 1961) Hina Rabbani Khar (Served as the top diplomat in Foreign Service of Pakistan, Foreign Minister of Pakistan (2011 – 2013) Sherry Rehman (Ambassador to the United States (2011 – 2013)