Asim Iftikhar Named Pakistan’s New Foreign Secretary

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the appointment of Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad as Pakistan’s new foreign secretary, setting in motion a leadership transition at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as incumbent Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch prepares to retire from government service. Iftikhar is currently serving as Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York and is expected to assume his new responsibilities following the transition.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the appointments in a statement on Wednesday. He said Amna Baloch, Pakistan’s 33rd foreign secretary, will retire from government service on September 17, 2026, after a diplomatic career spanning more than three decades. She has served as foreign secretary since September 11, 2024.

Dar praised Baloch’s service and her leadership of the Foreign Ministry during what he described as a difficult period. Following her retirement, she is set to take up another senior diplomatic assignment as Pakistan’s ambassador to Türkiye. The prime minister has also approved that appointment, allowing her to continue representing Pakistan abroad after completing her tenure as the country’s top career diplomat.

Iftikhar brings more than three decades of diplomatic experience to the Foreign Secretary’s office. He joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1993 and has worked across a range of bilateral and multilateral assignments. His career has included postings in Europe, Africa and Asia as well as extensive responsibilities dealing with the United Nations system and international organisations.

Before his current assignment in New York, Iftikhar served as Pakistan’s ambassador to France and Monaco and as permanent delegate to UNESCO from November 2022 until December 2024. He previously served as Foreign Ministry spokesperson and held senior positions overseeing the Asia-Pacific portfolio as well as United Nations and economic diplomacy. He was also Pakistan’s ambassador to Thailand from 2017 to 2021.

His experience at the United Nations is expected to be particularly relevant as he moves into the Foreign Secretary’s position. Iftikhar has previously worked on Security Council and human rights matters, represented Pakistan across several international forums and held senior roles involving multilateral diplomacy. He formally took over as Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations in 2025 after serving in New York in other capacities earlier in his career.

As foreign secretary, Iftikhar will become the senior-most career official responsible for managing the Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic machinery and coordinating the implementation of Pakistan’s foreign-policy priorities. The position carries responsibility for engagement with neighbouring countries, major global powers, Gulf partners and multilateral institutions, while also supporting the political leadership on regional security, economic diplomacy and international negotiations.

The immediate next step will be the formal handover as Baloch completes her government service on September 17. Iftikhar is expected to move from his United Nations assignment to Islamabad and assume charge of the Foreign Ministry, while arrangements will also be required for Pakistan’s representation in New York following his departure. Baloch, meanwhile, is expected to proceed to Türkiye for her ambassadorial assignment after retirement.