Tehmina Janjua (Urdu: تہمینہ جنجوعہ) is a retired Pakistani career diplomat who served in BPS-22 grade (highest attainable rank for a serving officer) as the 29th Foreign Secretary of Pakistan. Among her other notable appointments, was her position as Pakistan's Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and as ambassador to Italy, with concurrent accreditation to Albania, San Marino and Slovenia.[1][2][3][4][5]

Tehmina Janjua
تہمینہ جنجوعہ
Janjua in 2017
29th Foreign Secretary of Pakistan
In office
13 February 2017 – 16 April 2019
Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
Imran Khan
Preceded byAizaz Ahmad Chaudhry
Succeeded bySohail Mahmood
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva
In office
6 October 2015 – 2017
Preceded byZamir Akram
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Italy, Albania, San Marino and Slovenia
In office
2013–2015
Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad & Director General (Strategic Planning) Foreign Secretary’s Office
In office
2011–2013
Personal details
Alma materQuaid-e-Azam University
Columbia University (MIA)

Education

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After studying French literature at the Quaid-e-Azam University, Janjua joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1984. She later went on to receive a Masters in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University (SIPA), in 1989.

Career

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The first major career appointment that Tehmina Janjua had was from 1986 to 1987, as the desk officer to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the Foreign Office.[6] In 1989, she served as the acting director of the Office of the National Security Adviser. Following her time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Janjua completed her first mission abroad as the Second Secretary and then the First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations, New York from 1990 to 1995.[7]

After returning to Pakistan for a year to serve as Director Foreign Secretary's Office, Janjua was posted to Geneva as Counsellor Pakistan Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in 1996. During her time as Counsellor, she represented Pakistan at the Organization of Islamic Conference in March 1997, reiterating the importance of promoting a better image of Islam and Muslims.[8] The following year at a commission on human rights in April, on the topic of Kashmir she brought up the right to self-determination and the need for protecting individuals against human rights abuses.[9]

When her time as Counsellor in Geneva ended, she returned to Pakistan to serve as the Director Minister of State for Foreign Affairs' Office in 2000. A few years later, in 2004 she served as Director at the Foreign Secretary's Office.[10] In April 2004, while representing Pakistan in Geneva at the United Nations, Tehmina Janjua spoke in support of women’s rights, detailing Pakistan’s efforts to empower women politically and economically.[11] The following year, her experience was utilized as Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations and Other International Organizations, in Geneva until 2009.

From 2009 till 2011, Janjua served as the Director General of Strategic Planning in the Foreign Secretary's Office. After replacing Abdul Basit in February 2011, Janjua became the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.[12][13] As Spokesperson, Janjua provided important details of the safe return of Pakistanis from Libya, the on-going Indo-Pak talks and the drone strikes initiated by the United States during her term.[14][15][16]

She served as the Ambassador of Pakistan to Italy between December 2011 and October 2015.[17][18][19] On 6 October 2015, Janjua became Pakistan's envoy to the UN Office in Geneva. In December 2016, she became the first woman, and the first developing country representative, to preside over the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.[20]

Foreign Secretary of Pakistan

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In February 2017, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Janjua as Pakistan's Foreign Secretary, succeeding Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. The appointment made Janjua the first woman to hold the highest ranking position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[21] After serving as Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Janjua was appointed the new envoy to China in April 2019.[22]

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References

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  1. ^ "Statement by Tehmina Janjua, Deputy Permanent Representative, at the 92nd Session of IOM Council, Geneva, 28 Nov – 01 Dec 2006". Archived from the original on July 3, 2007.
  2. ^ Uploader (2016-06-01). "Pakistan's role in UN peacekeeping highlighted by Ambassador Tehmina Janjua". Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  3. ^ "Tehmina Janjua becomes Pakistan's first woman foreign secretary - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
  4. ^ "Tehmina Janjua becomes Pakistan's first woman foreign secretary". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
  5. ^ "Foreign Secretary Ms. Tehmina Janjua". Embassy of Pakistan, Tokyo. 2017. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  6. ^ Ali, Shafqat (21 January 2017). "Three in the run for foreign secretary slot". The Nation. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Foreign Secretary Ms. Tehmina Janjua". Embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Tokyo. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  8. ^ "SECRETARY-GENERAL OF ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE ADDRESSES HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION". United Nations. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  9. ^ "COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS BEGINS DISCUSSION OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS". United Nations. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Foreign Secretary Ms. Tehmina Janjua".
  11. ^ "SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN WARNS OF THREATS TO GAINS ON WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS". United Nations. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Islamabad: Tehmina Janjua appointed as new spokesperson Foreign Office - Pakistan | Dunya News". 14 February 2008. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  13. ^ "Janjua replaces Basit as FO spokesperson". 4 October 2011.
  14. ^ "Ministry asked to ensure safety of Pakistanis in Libya". Dawn. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Indo-Pak talks to resume at end of March". Pakistan Today. 4 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Pakistan demands US apology for drone strike". Dawn. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations, Geneva". www.pakistanmission-un.org. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  18. ^ Kennedy, Randy, "Police Shut Down Mosque Installation at Venice Biennale", New York Times, May 22, 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  19. ^ "Tehmina Janjua To Be First Woman Foreign Minister | Daily Jang News". jang.com.pk. Retrieved 2016-09-19.
  20. ^ "Pakistan makes history as Janjua chairs CCW review conference". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  21. ^ "Tehmina Janjua becomes first woman to be appointed Pakistan's foreign secretary". DAWN.COM. 2017-02-13. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
  22. ^ Zaafir, Muhammad Saleh. "Tehmina Janjua to be new envoy to China". The News.