Asim Iftikhar Named Pakistan’s Next Foreign Secretary

ISLAMABAD: (Staff Reporter) – Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad has been appointed as Pakistan’s next foreign secretary, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar announced on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Ishaq Dar expressed confidence that Ambassador Asim Iftikhar would lead the Foreign Office with professionalism, clarity and a strong focus on advancing Pakistan’s national interests.

He also paid tribute to outgoing Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, who is set to retire from government service on September 17, 2026, after more than three decades of public service.

Dar praised Baloch’s leadership of the Foreign Ministry during an important and challenging period in Pakistan’s diplomatic history, saying she leaves behind a legacy of dedicated service.

Following her retirement, Baloch will take charge as Pakistan’s ambassador to Türkiye. Dar expressed confidence that she would continue serving the country with distinction in her new diplomatic role.

The deputy prime minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved the appointments.

Asim Iftikhar Ahmad — Profile

Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad joined Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1993 and has held a wide range of diplomatic and senior assignments over a career spanning more than three decades.

He served as Pakistan’s ambassador to France and Monaco and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO from November 2022 to December 2024.

Before his Paris posting, he served as Foreign Office spokesperson from August 2021 to November 2022. During the same period, he also headed the Asia Pacific Division and later the United Nations and Economic Diplomacy Division as additional foreign secretary.

From 2017 to 2021, Asim Iftikhar served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Thailand. His first diplomatic posting was in Niamey, Niger, where he served from 1997 to 2000.

He has also worked in several divisions of the Foreign Ministry, including Personnel, Europe and Africa.

A significant part of his career has focused on multilateral diplomacy. He has held important positions at Pakistan’s missions to the United Nations in New York and Geneva and served as Pakistan’s permanent representative to UNESCAP in Bangkok and UNESCO in Paris.

At UNESCO, he also served as vice chair of the Asia-Pacific Group in the Executive Board and vice chair of the General Conference.

As head of the United Nations Division at the Foreign Ministry, he dealt with a broad range of issues, including international peace and security, development, climate change and human rights.

His assignments in New York between 2003 and 2009 and again from 2012 to 2014 included work on political affairs, peace and security, UN reforms and Security Council matters, as well as issues before the General Assembly and the Special Political and Decolonization Committee.

Asim Iftikhar holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, where he graduated with a gold medal in 1991. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Punjab, Lahore, in 1988, also receiving a gold medal.