Asim Iftikhar appointed Pakistan’s 34th foreign secretary
Iftikhar will take over from Amna Baloch, Pakistan’s 33rd foreign secretary, who is due to retire next week.
Pakistan has appointed Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad as the country’s 34th foreign secretary, succeeding Ambassador Amna Baloch.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the appointment, saying Iftikhar, who is currently serving as Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will take over as foreign secretary.
A career diplomat who joined Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1993, Iftikhar has held several senior diplomatic and administrative positions during his career, including serving as spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has also served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Thailand and as the country’s permanent representative to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iftikhar served as Director General for the United Nations, overseeing UN-related affairs and Pakistan’s diplomatic work in New York, Geneva, Rome, Vienna and Nairobi.
His experience at Pakistan’s UN mission in New York included work on political, peace and security and reform matters. He also served as a focal point on issue
relating to the UN Security Council, General Assembly, Special Political and Decolonization Committee, conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peace-building.
Iftikhar will take over from Amna Baloch, Pakistan’s 33rd foreign secretary, who is due to retire next week. Baloch has subsequently been appointed Pakistan’s ambassador to Türkiye.
The appointment comes as Pakistan continues to navigate a complex regional and international diplomatic environment, with its foreign policy agenda focused on strengthening bilateral ties and engagement at multilateral forums.
