Significant appointments are anticipated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the positions of Foreign Secretary and Foreign Office Spokesperson.
According to reports, Amna Baloch, a Grade 22 officer of the Foreign Service of Pakistan, is slated to be appointed as the new Foreign Secretary, succeeding Dr. Syrus Sajjad Qazi, who is set to retire.
Baloch is expected to assume her duties on September 11. Notably, she will be the second woman federal secretary appointed by the government within a month, following the appointment of Ambreen Jan as Information and Broadcasting Secretary.
Meanwhile, Dr. Qazi is reportedly being considered for an ambassadorial role in a key country after his retirement.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, currently serving as the Foreign Office spokesperson, is expected to be appointed as Pakistan’s Ambassador to France, replacing Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, according to sources. However, her successor as spokesperson has not yet been announced.
Ahmad, on the other hand, has been designated as Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, succeeding veteran diplomat Munir Akram.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch is also serving as Additional Foreign Secretary (Strategic Communications Division and Public Diplomacy) at the Foreign Office. She has previously served as Ambassador to South Korea and as Minister/Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Pakistan in China before her current posting at the headquarters.
Earlier today, reports said that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif approved these appointments based on recommendations from Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also acting as the Foreign Minister.
The prime minister has also approved changes to Pakistan’s diplomatic envoys in various capitals, including Paris, Ottawa, Pretoria, Brunei, and Kuwait.
Additional Foreign Secretary Ambassador Muhammad Saleem has been appointed as High Commissioner to Canada, replacing Zaheer Aslam Janjua, who is retiring after completing his service.
Janbaz Khan has been appointed as Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, succeeding retired Major General Farhat Abbas Sani. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Syed Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, has been appointed as Ambassador to Belgium, where he will also serve as the envoy to the European Union (EU).
