At the time when there is much hue and cry over absence of top US officials at the airport to receive Prime Minister Imran Khan on his visit to the United States, people are also asking about the lady who smilingly welcomes him on a metro.
Since, Imran Khan does not pay much attention to her, it appears as if she is a part of the Pakistani delegation, however it turned out that she is America’s Acting Chief of Protocol.
On June 24, 2019, Mary-Kate Fisher took over as Acting Chief of Protocol when Sean Lawler was suspended following an investigation into his conduct. She has also served as Assistant Chief of Protocol for Visits.
As part of her work, Fisher leads the Office of Protocol at the U.S. State Department to welcome visiting dignitaries to the country. She also travels with the president to facilitate foreign trips and create and foster an environment for successful diplomacy.
“As the first hand that welcomes kings, queens, presidents, and prime ministers to the United States, Ms. Fisher serves on the front lines of diplomatic engagement, building bridges and fostering understanding between peoples and governments,” the US State Department has written in introduction for her on its website.
The State Department has said the Acting Chief of Protocol had received the visiting prime minister, “as is standard for an Official Working Visit to the White House”.
Mary-Kate Fisher first joined the Department of State in 2018 as the Assistant Chief of Protocol for Visits, coordinating the trips and visits of foreign dignitaries meeting with President Trump and Vice President Pence both abroad and here in Washington, DC.
Imran Khan arrived on a commercial flight in Washington on his three-day maiden visit to the United States as a prime minister on the invitation of President Donald Trump.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Special Assistant on Overseas Zulfi Bukhari and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa are accompanying on this visit.
