ISLAMABAD - Career d i p l o m a t Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was yesterday appointed as the new spokesperson of Foreign Office, replacing Asim Iftikhar Ahmed who has been appointed as Ambassador to France. To assist Baloch, Saima Sayed has been appointed as the Deputy Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Asim Iftikhar Ahmed has already taken over as Ambassador to France. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch is currently serving as Additional Secretary Asia & Pacific. She has previously served as Ambassador of Pakistan to Korea (2020-2021), Minister/Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing (2015-2020), Counsellor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Pakistan, Washington DC (2006-2011) and as Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations, Geneva (1999-2002). At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has served as Director (America), Director (Security Council and Human Rights) and Director (Strategic Planning) in the Office of the Foreign Secretary. During 2014- 2015, she served as Director (Academic Programme) and later as Director General of the Foreign Service Academy Islamabad. Baloch holds Masters degree in Physics from the Punjab University, Lahore, a Masters in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA, and a degree from the prestigious Ecole Nationale d’ Administration, France. New Deputy Spokesperson Saima Sayed is currently serving as Director General Strategic Communications. She has previously served as Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations, New York (2015-2018), First Secretary at the High Commission of Pakistan, New Delhi (2012-2015) and as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Pakistan, Paris (2007-2010).