ISLAMABAD: With Amb­assa­dor Amna Baloch set to assume the role of foreign secretary, she will face a perfect storm of geopolitical tensions and bureaucratic headaches.

Her appointment was appro­ved by PM Shehbaz Sharif earlier this week, following a single-name submission. She was the second senior-most on the seniority list of Foreign Service Officers after Amb Zahoor Ahmed, currently posted as envoy in Spain.

She will succeed incumbent Syrus Sajjad Qazi upon his retirement on Sept 10.

In an interesting move, the government has chosen retired Lt Gen Mohammad Amir, who hung up his boots almost a year ago, as the new ambassador to the UAE. Gen Amir was once a cont­ender for the post of army chief in 2022.

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Insiders are buzzing with speculation about what might have driven this choice. One theory is that his close ties to President Asif Ali Zardari, who has significant interests in the UAE, played a role.

Lt Gen Amir tapped for UAE posting; Mumtaz Baloch will be posted to France

Another possibility is that the army wanted to install one of their own in Abu Dhabi, given the UAE’s expected investments in Pakistan through the SIFC.

It’s no secret that retired army officers have a stake in ambassadorial appointments, where they get a share from the 20pc of postings reserved for political appointees. They would traditionally get posted in Nigeria, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Ukraine, and Brunei Darussalam.

But what’s interesting is that the military now seems to be zeroing in on the Middle East. Sources suggest the military has traded in Brunei Darus­salam for Middle Eastern postings, with a few other capitals, besides Abu Dhabi, now in sig­h­­­­ts for placing retired army of­­ficers. They had already given up Mauritius some time back.

FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has meanwhile been designated as ambassad­or to France, where she will rep­lace Ambassador Asim Iftikh­­ar, who is moving to New York as the Additional Permanent Re­­presentative at the UN.

At the time of her appointment, Amna Baloch was serving as the ambassador to the European Union, Belgium, and Luxembourg in Brussels, a role that followed her tenure as high commissioner to Malaysia.

As the 33rd foreign secretary and second woman to hold the position, Amna Baloch will also be the first from Sindh in a long time.

However, she will face uniq­­ue challenges, including working under part-time Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who also handles political and economic matters as deputy prime minister. This arrangement may limit policy input from the foreign minister’s office, potentially impacting Amna Baloch’s decision-making and policy implementation.

Pakistan’s relationship with India, following Narendra Modi’s re-election, will require a delicate dance of moderated engagement while navigating the ongoing Kashmir tensions.

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Meanwhile, developments in Bangladesh present a mixed bag of challenges and opportunities, and the Iran-Israel conflict threatens to destabilise the Middle East — a region crucial for Pakistan’s energy security and remittances.

Moreover, the deepening economic crisis demands a masterful balancing act to secure vital investments, financial aid, and stable trade relations with key partners like China and the Gulf states.

Her predecessor, Syrus Saj­jad Qazi, arrived with a stellar reputation last year, but his one-year tenure is drawing to a close on a somewhat underwhelming note. Despite initial expectations, Qazi’s time in office has not yielded any significant accomplishments, lea­ving him with little to show as a legacy.

Amna Baloch would be repla­ced in Brussels by Amb Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, who is currently the ambassador to the UAE.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2024