Ex. Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Takes Over as Pakistan’s Ambassador to France

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a seasoned career diplomat, has assumed her new role as Pakistan’s Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO in January 2025. Prior to this appointment, she served as the Spokesperson and Additional Foreign Secretary for the Strategic Communications Division & Public Diplomacy at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ms. Baloch has an extensive diplomatic background, having served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 2020 to 2021. She also held the position of Minister/Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Pakistan in China between 2015 and 2020. Earlier in her career, she worked as Counselor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C. from 2006 to 2011, and as Second Secretary at Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva from 1999 to 2002.

In her previous roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Baloch was the Additional Foreign Secretary for Asia & Pacific (2022-2023), Director for the Americas (2013-2014), Director for the Security Council and Human Rights (2012-2013), and Director for Strategic Planning (2011-2012).

Between 2014 and 2015, Ms. Baloch also served as Director of the Academic Programme and later as Acting Director General at the Foreign Service Academy in Islamabad.

Ms. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch holds a Master’s degree in Physics from Punjab University, Lahore, a Master’s in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA, and a degree in Public Administration from the École Nationale d’Administration in France.