Shafqat Ali Khan replaces Mumtaz Zahra Baloch as FO spokesperson

ISLAMABAD: Career diplomat Shafqat Ali Khan has been appointed the new Foreign Office spokesperson, replacing Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, ARY News reported.

The announcement was made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at a press conference here on Thursday who hailed the services of the outgoing spokesperson and said that in recognition of her services, the Government of Pakistan had posted her as Pakistan’s Ambassador to France.

Mumtaz Zahra was appointed to the slot in November 2022, replacing Asim Iftikhar Ahmed who was also given the ambassadorial job in Paris. Now she will again replace him as Asim Iftikhar has moved to the United Nations as the Additional Permanent Representative.

Currently, serving as Additional Secretary for Europe in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shafqat Ali Khan has served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia and Poland, DG Europe at MoFA and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.