ISLAMABAD: Only a few days after Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the 74th session of United Nations General Assembly, Pakistan’s foreign office announced the appointment of Ambassador Munir Akram as the country’s permanent representative to UN on Monday.
A veteran diplomat, Akram will replace Dr. Maleeha Lodhi who became Pakistan’s ambassador to the world’s most prestigious intergovernmental forum in February 2015. The coveted diplomatic post was also held by Akram for six years under the Pervez Musharraf regime.
It is not clear what prompted Prime Minister Imran Khan to make the change within a few days after wrapping up his trip to the United States where he met a number of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, and highlighted the Kashmir issue.
However, Pakistan’s foreign ministry also announced several other appointments on Monday.
Lodhi, who was originally chosen to represent her country at the UN by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) administration, wrote in a twitter post: “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.”
She added that she “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,” she continued. “I wish my successor Munir Akram the best of luck.”
Pakistan appoints new ambassador to United Nations
Pakistan appoints new ambassador to United Nations
- Replaces Dr. Maleeha Lodhi with Ambassador Munir Akram
- Lodhi says she ‘had planned to move on after UNGA following a successful visit by the PM’
Pakistan cold wave to persist into February as more snow forecast in north
- Cold wave to last until Feb 1 nationwide, longer in northern regions
- Authorities urge tourists to avoid unnecessary travel during snowfall
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ongoing cold wave is expected to persist across much of the country until the end of the month, with freezing conditions likely to continue into mid-February in mountainous northern regions as more rain and snowfall are forecast, a senior meteorological official said on Tuesday.
The warning comes as a fresh western weather system is set to bring intermittent rain and light-to-moderate snowfall to parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and northern Punjab, raising concerns over travel disruptions and road safety in mountainous areas.
“The cold wave in the country will continue until February 1, but in Murree, the Galyat region, and other hilly areas, this wave will persist until February 15,” Anjum Nazir Zaigham, Deputy Director at the Met Department, told Arab News.
The Galyat region refers to a cluster of hill resorts and mountain towns in northern Pakistan, straddling parts of Murree and Abbottabad districts in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“This season, 102 inches of snow were recorded in Malam Jabba, 67 inches in Kalam, 37 inches in Babusar, and 30 inches in Murree,” he added.
Pakistan has experienced one of its harsher winter spells this season, with heavy snowfall recorded at several popular hill stations, prompting authorities to restrict vehicle movement in vulnerable areas and deploy additional personnel to manage traffic and emergency response, particularly in tourist destinations such as Murree.
In an advisory issued Tuesday afternoon, the Met Office said westerly winds were likely to bring further intermittent rain and snowfall over areas including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Buner, Murree, the Galyat region, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan over the next few hours.
Authorities have also urged tourists to avoid unnecessary travel during snowfall, while local administrations have been coordinating snow clearance, traffic diversions and emergency services.
Tens of thousands of tourists flock to Pakistan’s scenic north every winter to witness snowfall, often neglecting warnings from disaster management authorities.
In January 2022, at least 21 people, including children, died after they were stuck in freezing temperatures during a snowstorm in the Pakistani hill station of Murree.
