- Current foreign secretary will reach the age of superannuation on September 9
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the appointment of Pakistan’s current ambassador to the European Union and Brussels, Amna Baloch, as the new Foreign Secretary.
However, neither the foreign office nor the Prime Minister Office have so far confirmed the decision officially.
According to sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also approved the nomination of some new ambassadors for Pakistan.
The post of foreign secretary will fall vacant on September 9 as the incumbent Syrus Qazi will reach the age of superannuation.
Amna Baloch was the frontrunner for the top job.
The sources claimed that the foreign office was informed about the key decision by the Prime Minister Office.
Amna Baloch will only be the second female foreign secretary. The first was Tehmina Janjua.
Baloch is a career diplomat and has vast experience in serving in different capitals.
As per the new nominations, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch will be Pakistan’s new ambassador to France, while Janbaz Khan will serve as Pakistan’s new ambassador to Brunei Darussalam.
Sources further said that Muhammad Saleem will be Pakistan’s new High Commissioner to Canada, and Malik Farooq will be the new High Commissioner to South Africa.
It is worth mentioning that Malik Farooq is currently serving as Pakistan’s ambassador to Kuwait.
Meanwhile, Faisal Trimizi, Pakistan’s current Ambassador to UAE, will likely succeed Amna Baloch as the country’s envoy to Brussels and EU.
The incumbent Asim Iftikhar was recently appointed as Pakistan’s additional permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.
It is believed that Ambassador Asim Iftikhar will eventually take over the charge from Ambassador Munir Akram, the veteran Pakistani diplomat.
Profile of Amna Baloch
Amna Baloch is Pakistan’s Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Before joining as Pakistan’s Ambassador to EU, Belgium & Luxembourg, Amna Baloch was serving as High Commissioner of Pakistan in Malaysia.
She has served on various important assignments at the Headquarters and missions abroad during her career including Consul General of Pakistan at Chengdu, China; Minister Counsellor at Colombo, Sri Lanka; Joint Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and Additional Secretary in the Foreign Minister’s office.
Ambassador Baloch belongs to Sindh. She received a master’s degree in history and joined the Pakistan Foreign Service in 1991. Ambassador Baloch is married and has two daughters.
Profile of Mumtaz Zahra Baloch
Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Baloch is currently serving as Spokesperson and Additional Foreign Secretary (Strategic Communications Division & Public Diplomacy), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. Prior to her current position, she served as Ambassador of Pakistan to the Republic of Korea (2020-2021) and as Minister/Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Pakistan in China (2015-2020).
She has also worked as Counselor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Pakistan, Washington DC (2006-2011) and as Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations, Geneva (1999-2002).
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad she served as Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia & Pacific), Director (America), Director (Security Council and Human Rights) and Director (Strategic Planning).
During 2014-2015, Baloch served as Director (Academic Programme) and later as Acting Director General of the Foreign Service Academy Islamabad.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch holds Masters degree in Physics from the Punjab University, Lahore, a Masters in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA and a degree in European Studies and Public Administration from the Ecole Nationale d’ Administration, France.
