ISLAMABAD, Feb 14: The government on Monday announced the appointment of Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan as ambassador and Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

Mr Khan is expected to take up his new assignment in one month. Currently working as director-general. (United Nations) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Khan has served in Islamabad and abroad for 25 years. He was appointed as the ministry's spokesman in June 2003.

Mr Khan has vast experience in multilateral diplomacy and has been a frequent negotiator for Pakistan. He has served, in various diplomatic positions, at the Pakistan missions in Beijing, The Hague, and Washington DC. He also worked in Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, from 1993 to 1997.

The government has also announced the appointment of Salman Bashir as ambassador to China. He will replace Riaz Ahmed Khan who has been appointed foreign secretary.

Mr Bashir has been serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since December 2003. He held various diplomatic assignments at Pakistan missions in Geneva, OIC Secretariat, Jeddah, and Denmark.

Mohammad Younis Khan has been appointed ambassador to Iraq. At present serving as Director-General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Khan has held various assignments at Madrid, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Geneva, Moscow, Dubai Consul General and Vietnam.

Masood Khalid has been made ambassador to the Republic of Korea. Presently serving as Deputy Permanent Representative to United Nations, New York, he has held various assignments in Seoul, London and Tashkent.

Sajjad Kamran has been appointed ambassador to Uzbekistan. Serving as Minister Embassy of Pakistan, The Hague, since November, 2002, he has held various assignments in Abu Dhabi, Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Bonn and Tehran.

Abdul Malik Abdullah has been appointed ambassador to Senegal. At present he is serving as consul general, at the Frankfurt mission, he has held various assignments at missions in Tokyo and Washington.

M. Saeed Khalid has been appointed ambassador to Belgium. Presently serving as additional secretary at the headquarters, he has held various assignments at missions in Paris, Lagos, Niamey and Ankara.