The Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal has clarified that outgoing UN envoy, Maleeha Lodhi completed her tenure and was not fired. The Foreign Office also credited Dr Lodhi for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s successful participation in recent UN General Assembly session. The FO spokesman’s tweet came in response to ongoing speculation about reasons behind change of the envoy in New York.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the appointment of ambassador Munir Akram as Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. Akram has served as Pakistan’s permanent representative to UN previously as well, holding the office for six years between 2002 and 2008 and will replace Dr Maleeha Lodhi, who has held the office of Pakistan’s envoy to UN since February 2015.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi was has been unanimously elected as one of the four vice presidents of the Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), the economic arm of the UN. Ambassador Lodhi, who was elected by acclamation after her candidature was endorsed by the 54-member body, will assume the Asia Pacific seat in the Ecosoc bureau.