ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly approved a summary demanding the appointment of Amna Baloch as Foreign Secretary to replace Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi after his retirement in October, and has also approved the appointment of Mumtaz Zahra Baloch as Pakistan’s ambassador to France.
Amna Baloch is currently Pakistan’s Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg. Before becoming Pakistan’s Ambassador to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg, Baloch served as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia.
She has held various important assignments at headquarters and at foreign missions throughout her career, including Consul General of Pakistan in Chengdu, China, Envoy Counsellor in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office and Additional Secretary in the Office of the Foreign Minister.
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Ambassador Amna Baloch will be the second woman to hold the highest post in the Foreign Ministry, following Tehmina Janjua who was appointed as the first woman Foreign Minister by then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in February 2017.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, on the other hand, is currently the Spokesperson and Deputy Secretary of State (Department of Strategic Communications and Public Diplomacy) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to her current position, she served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (2020-2021) and Minister/Deputy Head of Mission at the Pakistani Embassy in China (2015-2020).
She also served as Counselor for Political Affairs at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, DC (2006-2011) and as Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva (1999-2002).
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, she served as Additional Secretary of State (Asia and Pacific), Director (Americas), Director (Security Council and Human Rights) and Director (Strategic Planning).
From 2014 to 2015, Baloch served as Director (Academic Program) and later as Acting Director General of the Foreign Service Academy Islamabad.
In addition, the Prime Minister approved the appointment of Janbaz Khan as the new Ambassador of Pakistan to Brunei and Muhammad Saleem as the new High Commissioner of Pakistan to Canada. Malik Farooq, currently Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait, will be the new High Commissioner of Pakistan to South Africa.
Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, currently Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, will be Pakistan’s new Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
