Pakistan has opted to replace Masood Khan with Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Additional Foreign Secretary (Middle East and SIFC), as its envoy to the United States, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated on Friday.
Masood Khan has been the ambassador to Washington since February 2022. In November 2021, he was nominated by then prime minister Imran Khan.
The government has chosen to designate senior diplomat Asim Iftikhar, who is currently Pakistan’s ambassador in France, as the country’s extra permanent representative to the UN, according to a spokesperson.
She stated that Iftikhar will take up the position of permanent representative, which is presently held by Munir Akram, at an appropriate moment. Akram began this post on November 1, 2019.
The representative stated that the appointments had been discussed for several weeks and that the notification was standard process.
While responding on the US House of Representatives resolution, Zahra Baloch expressed concern over the development, stating that Pakistan has determined to maintain ties with the US based on mutual respect and non-interference.
The US Congress should try to enhance Pakistan-US ties, she said, adding that Pakistan has informed America of its strong objections about the resolution.
“The resolution by the US House of Representatives is an unjustified intrusion in Pakistan’s internal affairs,” according to spokesperson.
