Seasoned diplomat and current ambassador to the Netherlands to replace Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, who has taken charge as foreign secretary.
Pakistan has decided to appoint Syed Haider Shah, its current ambassador to the Netherlands, as the country’s new permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, according to multiple diplomatic sources and media reports.
The appointment follows the elevation of the previous permanent representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, to the position of Pakistan’s 34th foreign secretary. The key diplomatic post in New York had remained vacant pending a new nomination. An official notification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to formalise the decision in the coming days.
Haider Shah’s Diplomatic Career and UN Experience:
Syed Haider Shah is a career foreign service officer with extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy, international law and regional affairs. He has served as Pakistan’s ambassador to the Netherlands since March 2025 and is also the country’s permanent representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. Prior to that posting, he held the position of additional secretary for United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad from November 2022 to February 2025.
Shah previously served as ambassador to Nepal between November 2020 and October 2022. From 2016 to 2020, he was deputy head of mission in New Delhi, including a period as acting high commissioner from April 2019 to October 2020. Earlier in his career, he worked at Pakistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York from 2002 to 2006, covering the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with legal matters. He also served as a legal officer with the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate between 2008 and 2013.
He holds a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School and a law degree from the University of Peshawar, and has participated in negotiations on a number of Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.
Pakistan Shortlists Ambassador Shah for Key UN Post:
One Pakistani newspaper reported that the Foreign Office had shortlisted three ambassadors for the New York post-including Shah, along with the ambassadors to the United Arab Emirates and France-before the prime minister’s office made its selection. Sources indicated that Shah was regarded as the strongest candidate within the foreign ministry for the high-profile assignment.
The permanent representative to the United Nations is one of Pakistan’s most important diplomatic roles, responsible for articulating Islamabad’s positions on issues ranging from international peace and security to development, climate change and regional disputes. Pakistan has long used the UN platform to highlight its concerns over Kashmir, Afghanistan, counter-terrorism and the reform of global governance institutions.
Shah’s return to New York comes at a time when Pakistan continues to navigate complex regional and global challenges, including relations with neighbouring countries, economic diplomacy and engagement with major powers at multilateral forums. His background in UN legal and political affairs is expected to inform Pakistan’s approach in the Security Council and General Assembly.
As of Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not yet issued a formal public statement confirming the appointment. Diplomatic sources said Shah is expected to take up the post in the near future once the necessary procedural steps are completed.