List of ambassadors of Pakistan to the United States

The Pakistan Ambassador to the United States is in charge of the Pakistan Embassy, Washington, D.C., and Pakistan's diplomatic mission to the United States. The official title is Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the United States of America.

Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the United States of America
since August 2024
StyleHis Excellency
ResidenceWashington, D.C.
NominatorPrime Minister of Pakistan
Inaugural holderAbul Hassan Isphani
(1948–1952)
Formation1948
WebsitePakistan Embassy – Washington, D.C.

History

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The embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C., was built on 28 August 1947, when Pakistan attained independence from Great Britain and separated from India to form the Dominion of Pakistan. From the onset, Pakistan adopted a pro-American policy, with relations taking an upturn in 1954 when Pakistan signed several defense pacts with the United States – first the SEATO and then CENTO in 1955. Their relations were soured because of the subsequent Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971, but were rejuvenated due to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the ensuing covert war of 1980–88. Pakistan's secret nuclear programme led the US to impose sanctions on Pakistan, thus deteriorating Pakistani-American relations, but the War on Terrorism again placed Pakistan in the good books of America, improving the two countries' bilateral relations once more.

Therefore, the Pakistani ambassadors to the US were not only the top officers of the Pakistani civil service, but also political appointees of respective governments of the time. Some former ambassadors later rose to command positions in the Pakistani government, with one of them, Muhammad Ali Bogra, becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

List of Pakistani Ambassadors to the United States

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Name and Title Image Entered Office Left Office
Abul Hassan Isphani 8 October 1948 8 February 1952
Muhammad Ali Bogra 27 February 1952 16 April 1953
Syed Amjad Ali 26 September 1953 17 September 1955
Muhammad Ali Bogra November 1955 March 1959
Aziz Ahmed   23 March 1959 July 1963
Ghulam Ahmed 19 July 1963 15 September 1966
Agha Hilaly   21 October 1966 20 October 1971
Maj Gen (R) N.A.M. Raza 22 October 1971 22 April 1972
Sultan Mohammed Khan 15 May 1972 8 December 1973
Lt Gen (R) Sahabzada Yaqub Khan   19 December 1973 3 January 1979
Sultan Mohammed Khan 13 January 1979 31 December 1980
Lt Gen Ejaz Azim 7 July 1981 15 September 1986
Jamsheed Marker 17 September 1986 30 June 1989
Air Chief Marshal (R) Zulfiqar Ali Khan 12 July 1989 15 September 1990
Najmuddin Shaikh 14 October 1990 22 November 1991
Abida Hussain 26 November 1991 24 April 1993
Maliha Lodhi   21 January 1994 30 January 1997
Riaz Khokhar   12 March 1997 7 September 1999
Tariq Fatemi   8 September 1999 16 December 1999
Maliha Lodhi   17 December 1999 4 August 2002
Ashraf Qazi   19 August 2002 6 August 2004
General (R) Jehangir Karamat   17 August 2004 3 June 2006
Maj Gen (R) Mahmud Ali Durrani   5 June 2006 9 May 2008
Husain Haqqani   26 May 2008 22 November 2011
Sherry Rehman   23 November 2011 14 October 2013[1]
Jalil Abbas Jilani   2 December 2013 26 February 2017
Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry   1 March 2017 11 May 2018
Ali Jehangir Siddiqui   29 May 2018 25 December 2018[2]
Asad Majeed Khan   11 January 2019[3] 2022
Masood Khan   2022[4] August 2024
Rizwan Saeed Sheikh August 2024[5] Incumbent

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Pakistani ambassador to US resigns after election defeat". Xinhua News Agency. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.[dead link]
  2. ^ "Ali Jahangir Siddiqui steps down as Pakistan's envoy to US". The Express Tribune. 25 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  3. ^ Dr Asad Majeed Khan presents credentials to US President Donald Trump | The Express Tribune
  4. ^ "US issues agrément for Masood Khan to take charge as Pakistani envoy in Washington". Geo News. 5 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Rizwan Saeed Sheikh assumes charge as Pakistan's ambassador to US". DAWN.COM. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.