ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, has been appointed the country’s next foreign secretary, succeeding Ambassador Amna Baloch.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the appointment after approval from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Ahmad will become Pakistan’s 34th foreign secretary, while Baloch is due to retire from government service on September 17. She has subsequently been appointed Pakistan’s ambassador to Türkiye on a post-retirement contract.
Ahmad has served as Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN in New York since April 2025 and was president of the UN Security Council during Pakistan’s rotating presidency in July 2025. His previous assignments include ambassador to France and Monaco, permanent delegate to UNESCO, Foreign Office spokesperson and ambassador to Thailand.
Reacting to the appointment, Ahmad described it as a “great honour” and said he was humbled by the confidence placed in him. Dar said he expected the Foreign Office under Ahmad to continue advancing Pakistan’s interests with “clarity, professionalism and purpose.”