Asim Iftikhar Ahmed set to become new foreign secretary

ISLAMABAD: High-level consultations over the appointment of Pakistan’s next foreign secretary have been completed, with consensus reportedly reached on the name of career diplomat Asim Iftikhar Ahmed for the key diplomatic position.

According to well-informed sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to formally announce Asim Iftikhar Ahmed’s appointment before leaving for New York to attend the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The appointment will come as the tenure of incumbent Foreign Secretary Amina Baloch draws to a close. Sources said Amina Baloch is scheduled to complete her term in the third week of the current month, after which Asim Iftikhar Ahmed is expected to assume charge of the Foreign Office.

The decision follows high-level consultations on the appointment of a new foreign secretary, a position that plays a central role in shaping and coordinating Pakistan’s foreign policy and diplomatic engagements.

Asim Iftikhar Ahmed is a senior career diplomat with extensive experience in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. His appointment comes at a significant time for Pakistan’s foreign policy, as Islamabad continues to engage with major global and regional powers on a range of diplomatic, economic and security-related issues.

The foreign secretary is the administrative head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and works closely with the foreign minister and the prime minister on key foreign-policy matters.