ISLAMABAD: Veteran diplomat Amna Baloch has taken charge as Pakistan’s 33rd Foreign Secretary replacing Syrus Sajjad Qazi who stepped down after attaining retirement, the Foreign Office said on Wednesday.
Who is Amna Baloch?
A Grade-22 officer of the Foreign Service of Pakistan, Amna Baloch was appointed as Foreign Secretary last week — the second woman to be appointed on the said position after Tehmina Janjua.
During her career, she has held several key assignments both in Islamabad and Pakistan’s missions abroad including as the nation’s Consul General to Chengdu, China from 2014 to 2017.
Amna Baloch has also served as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia from 2019 to 2023 and envoy to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg from 2023-2024. She has also served as a Minister Counsellor in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The new Foreign Secretary also holds a master’s degree in history and joined the Pakistan Foreign Service in 1991. Amna Baloch served as a joint secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office and additional secretary in the foreign minister’s office.
