Islamabad, Pakistan: Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, who is currently Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will be the next Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, confirmed X message of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Asim Iftikhar Ahmad’s retirement is due by November 2026 so he will get extension in his service to run Foreign Ministry for his next tenure as Secretary.
Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Ambassador Amna Baloch will retire from government service on 17 September 2026 will serve as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Türkiye, after her retirement and will be rehired (post-retirement contract). She will be second female Foreign Secretary who will get reappointment for job as after serving as Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Tehmina Janjua was also appointed as Ambassador. She was rehired to serve in China in April 2019. Foreign Service of Pakistan is prime cadre of the country where rehiring after retirement of Secretary as Ambassador and extension of senior officials for assuming the position of Secretary has been documented in last 10 years.
Commenting upon the developments, former Secretary Cabinet Ahmad Nawaz Sukhara in his X message said:
There should be No Extensions or Post-Retirement Contract Jobs!
There is hardly much of a difference between the top officers in any service group, and to select anyone for a top job is always a personal choice of a politician.
PS: Graveyards are full of indispensable people…
— Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera (@ansukhera) September 10, 2026
Agreed, Sir. As a matter of principle, I am against extensions in service, post-retirement contract jobs in public sector, as well as deputations & additional charges during service.
— Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera (@ansukhera) September 10, 2026
