ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Foreign Office announced that Rizwan Saeed Sheikh would be the country’s new ambassador to the United States (US).

The spokesperson of the Foreign Office, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch Rizwan Saeed Sheikh will replace Masood Khan from July 1.

“The Government of Pakistan has decided to appoint Additional Foreign Secretary (Middle East and SIFC) Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh as Pakistan’s new ambassador to Washington DC,” she added.

The incumbent ambassador to the US, Masood Khan was serving on a three-month extension as his contract ended in March. The three-month extension is set to expire on June 30.

Meanwhile, Zahra Baloch also announced Asim Iftikhar as Pakistan’s additional permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.

She said that the appointments were under consideration over the last several weeks. In a media briefing, the spokesperson of the Foreign Office said that Pakistan will also participate in the Doha talks, saying that Special Representative for Afghanistan Asif Durrani and Ambassador Obaid Nizamani posted in Kabul will represent Pakistan.