Rizwan Saeed Sheikh

Rizwan Saeed Sheikh began his working life in banking before entering Pakistan’s Foreign Service. His early ministry assignments included UN, American, and South Asian affairs. In Geneva he negotiated on trade, development, health, and human rights, and chaired the local Group of 77 and China in 2006. ¹

His subsequent career centered on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. As Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative, he led negotiations on the revised OIC Charter in 2007–08. He moved to the organization’s secretariat in 2009, became its designated spokesperson, and helped establish its Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission. He later became Pakistan’s first permanent representative to the OIC. Between these assignments, he worked in the National Security Division and served as deputy chief of mission in Washington from August 2015 to November 2019. ¹

After serving as additional foreign secretary with responsibility for the Middle East, investment facilitation, and economic diplomacy, Sheikh returned to Washington as ambassador in 2024. He presented his credentials to President Joe Biden at Blair House on September 19. His stated priorities included trade, investment, green energy, and higher education. ^{1, 2}

At an embassy discussion in January 2025, Sheikh described outreach to members of Congress and advocated expanding commercial ties through information technology, manufacturing, sports goods, and surgical instruments. He presented investment and export growth as means of strengthening the relationship and supporting Pakistan’s economic recovery. ³