Who Will Become Pakistan’s Next Foreign Secretary?
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif must decide by September 18 whether to appoint Pakistan’s 34th foreign secretary or extend a serving official’s tenure, as speculation intensifies over the successor to Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch.
According to senior journalist Aizaz Syed, Baloch will retire upon turning 60 on September 18, 2026. Despite enjoying the confidence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and the military establishment, her prospects of receiving an extension are considered limited. She could, however, be offered a contractual ambassadorial assignment, possibly in Europe.
The appointment comes at a time for Pakistani diplomacy. The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, followed by Pakistan’s mediation efforts, increased the country’s diplomatic relevance and highlighted the role of career diplomats in supporting the civil and military leadership.
The prime minister is expected to choose from senior Grade 22 officers. Zahoor Ahmed is the most senior diplomat on the gradation list, but his retirement on December 11 leaves him little time in office.
Rahim Hayat Qureshi, posted in Belgium and due to retire in February 2029, is regarded as a candidate.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar, is also mentioned, although he retires on November 27. Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, whose service continues until January 2028, is another contender.
Other senior diplomats include Ahsan Raza Shah, Pakistan’s ambassador to Malaysia, and Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, ambassador to Russia. Tirmizi is viewed as a strong candidate because of his seniority, remaining tenure, experience, and connections.
Nabeel Munir, a special secretary at the Foreign Office, and former ambassador to Germany Syeda Saqlain also appear in the seniority picture. Saqlain’s retirement in July 2027 may reduce her chances.
Shafqat Ali Khan, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, is considered a distinctive candidate because of his experience and management of a sensitive diplomatic relationship.
Although Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi’s name has surfaced, he is comparatively junior and may instead be recalled to coordinate next year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad.
The final decision is expected to reflect merit, security clearance, institutional consultation and political confidence.
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
