ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the appointment of two new Pakistani ambassadors.
The decision was made following a summary submitted by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar.
Reports said senior diplomat Shafqat Ali Khan will serve as Pakistan’s new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Khan is currently serving as the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has previously held ambassadorial posts in Poland and Russia.
Meanwhile, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, who currently serves as Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE, has been appointed as the country’s new envoy to Russia.
The reshuffle reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s diplomatic representation in key international capitals.
Shafqat Ali Khan
Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan is currently serving as Spokesperson and Additional Foreign Secretary (Strategic Communications Division & Public Diplomacy), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. He also continues to serve as Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe). Prior to his current appointment, he served as Ambassador of Pakistan to the Russian Federation (March 2020-September 2023) and to the Republic of Poland with concurrent accreditation to Estonia and Latvia (July 2017-March 2020).
Ambassador Khan has held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad, including at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations in New York (1998-2001), the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing (2007-2010), and the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva (2010-2013).
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, Ambassador Khan served as Additional Secretary (Europe), Director General (Europe) (2016-2017), Diplomatic Advisor to the Speaker of the National Assembly (2014-2015), Director (Human Rights) (2006-2007), Deputy Director (Foreign Secretary’s Office) (2002-2003),Deputy Director (India) (2001-2002), and Acting Director (Disarmament) (1996-1998). His first assignment at the Ministry was as Section Officer (UN) from February to October 1995.
Before joining the Foreign Service in 1993, Ambassador Khan worked as a Lecturer in Strategic Studies at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad (1991-1993).
