Munir Akram replaces Dr. Lodhi as Pakistan Representative at the UN

Munir Akram has been appointed as Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in New York, in place of Dr. Maleeha Lodhi. The decision to elect a new representative comes a few days after the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations. The decision was announced via a release on the website of the Foreign Affairs of the Pakistan Government. The reason for the change is yet not known, although Dr. Lodhi said that she had planned to move on.

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Previous stint

Akram has served as Pakistan's Representative to the UN previously, between 2002 and 2008. He comes with a tarnished reputation though, with the United States Secretary of State, in 2003, asking the Pakistan Government to withdraw his diplomatic immunity after he pushed her head against a wall during a fight with his then-girlfriend. He managed to continue his position until 2008. Akram is known for his loud and hard anti-India stand. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also made other changes to Ambassadors to other countries. Khalil Ahmad Hashmi has been made appointed the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva. The Pakistan Government has shuffled ambassadors in Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Oman, Hungary, Toronto and Hungary. 

Munir has served as Pakistan's representative to the UN in Geneva. He's been an ambassador to the European Community, Belgium & Luxemburg (Brussels). He has also been an ambassador to the UN. 

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Lodhi's exit

Dr. Lodhi, on Monday evening, tweeted, "It has been an honor to serve the country & am grateful for the opportunity to do so for over four years. Representing Pakistan at the world’s most important multilateral forum was a great privilege. I had planned to move on after UNGA following a successful visit by the PM. I am humbled by the appreciation I have received for the PM’s visit and the support I have also received over the years. I wish my successor Munir Akram the best of luck!"

Pakistan Prime Minister, in his UNGA address, exceed the time limit of 15 minutes and more than half of his speech was based on attacking India over the revocation of Article 370. 

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