ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, after considering a Foreign Office summary, appointed two senior career diplomats as Pakistan’s ambassadors to Washington and UN in New York.
According to the decision, career diplomat Rizwan Saeed Sheikh has been appointed as a new ambassador to the United States replacing incumbent Ambassador Masood Khan.
The other appointment has been made in the United Nations New York, where Pakistan’s current ambassador to France Asim Iftikhar has been made as new permanent representative for the United Nations Headquarters. He would replace Ambassador Munir Akram who has completed his three-year tenure.
However, Ambassador Munir Akram would continue till the UNGA session in September.
Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh is currently serving as Additional Secretary Middle East in the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.
He has earlier served as Pakistan ambassador to OIC in Jeddah. He has served Pakistan embassy in Washington as deputy head of the mission.
Ambassador-designate to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmed has earlier served in Pakistan mission to the United Nations as deputy permanent representative and has rich experience in multilateral diplomacy.
Credible sources said Prime Minister Shehbaz consulted SAPM Tariq Fatimi and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on these appointments and gave approval of appointments to career diplomats instead of politically appointed ambassadors.
The sources said the prime minister was not happy with the performance of Ambassador Masood Khan in countering PTI lobbying in Washington against the current government.
Both the new envoys are likely to take up their new positions in next three to four months.