FO spokesman likely to head embassy in UAE

ISLAMABAD: Additional Foreign Secretary (AFS) and spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan will be Pakistan’s new ambassador for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in place of Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, who has been designated to Moscow as the new envoy to Russia, replacing incumbent Khalid Jamali.

A decision has been taken in principle at the top level. Highly placed diplomatic sources told The News here Wednesday that a summary is being moved for the appointment of Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan. As soon it is approved by the Prime Minister and formalities are completed, the agreemaunt (consent of the host government) would be sought from the UAE government. Shafqat is the first from the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in Foreign Affairs.

He is currently serving as AFS for Europe and a diplomat with over 30 years of experience in the Foreign Service of Pakistan (FSP). Since joining the service in 1993, he has held a range of significant positions, including serving as ambassador in Russia (2020-23) and Poland (2017-2020), DG for Europe at the Foreign Office (2016-17), deputy permanent representative (DPR) to Pakistan’s Mission at the United Nations in Geneva (2010-13), and diplomatic adviser to the Speaker National Assembly (2014-15). Shafqat Ali Khan has also served as counsellor for political and strategic affairs at Pakistan’s Embassy in Beijing and on various desks at the headquarters, including India Directorate.

In the meanwhile, country’s ambassador in Ireland, Ms Ayesha Farooqui’s transfer to Bangkok to be envoy for Thailand is yet to be initiated.