Saturday, February 12 2005 15:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan's Foreign Secretary-designate Riaz Muhammad Khan would assume charge on February 15, the day External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh arrives in Islamabad on a three-day visit for talks on a host of issues, including the progress in the peace process.

Khan, who was Pakistan's Ambassador to China, would succeed Riaz Khokhar, the high-profile Pakistani diplomat who is set to retire this week. He would assume his new post on February 15, officials said.

Khan, considered to be a specialist on Afghanistan and the UN, held the post of spokesman of Pakistan Foreign Office during and after the 9/11 attacks on America which brought in a paradigm shift in the country's foreign policy towards Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Khan is married to a US diplomat currently working for the State Department.

Significantly, the change of guard at the Pakistan Foreign office would be taking place on the day of the arrival of Singh in Pakistan. Singh arrives here in the evening of February 15 from Kabul and will leave for home on February 17.

He is scheduled to hold talks with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz besides his counterpart, Khurshid M Kasuri.