ISLAMABAD – The federal government is likely to appoint seasoned diplomat Asim Iftikhar Ahmed as a new foreign secretary of Pakistan.
Reports said a high-level consultation over the appointment of a new foreign secretary has been completed with Ahmed emerging as the consensus choice for the key diplomatic position.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to formally announce the appointment before leaving for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly session.
The development comes as Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch is due to complete her tenure in the third week of this month.
Following her departure, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed is expected to assume charge of the Foreign Office and take over responsibility for Pakistan’s diplomatic affairs.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Profile
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad is currently serving as Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, New York.
He is a veteran Pakistani diplomat with more than three decades of experience spanning bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, including senior assignments in Europe, Africa, Asia and at the United Nations.
Born in Lahore on November 27, 1966, Ahmad joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1993. His first diplomatic posting was in Niamey, Niger, from 1997 to 2000. Over the years, he served in several divisions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Personnel, Europe and Africa.
Ahmad has held a number of prominent overseas assignments. He served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Thailand from 2017 to 2021 and later as Ambassador to France and Monaco and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO from November 2022 to December 2024.
Before his Paris posting, Ahmad served as Foreign Ministry spokesperson from August 2021 to November 2022. During the same period, he headed the Asia Pacific Division and later the United Nations and Economic Diplomacy Division as Additional Foreign Secretary.
His career has featured extensive work in multilateral diplomacy. He served twice on Pakistan’s Security Council team and was Pakistan’s Political Coordinator during the 2012–2013 term. He also served as Deputy Chef de Cabinet to the President of the UN General Assembly from 2009 to 2010.
Ahmad holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Arts from the University of Engineering and Technology and the University of the Punjab in Lahore, earning Gold Medals from both institutions. He speaks French and enjoys golf, tennis, snooker and cricket.
