The U.S. State Department has officially announced that Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, concluded his term on January 17, 2025. This development has been confirmed through a brief statement on the department’s official website.
Donald Lu assumed the role of Assistant Secretary on September 15, 2021, overseeing U.S. relations with countries in South and Central Asia, including Pakistan. His tenure was marked by significant events, notably the controversy in March 2022 when former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan accused the United States of orchestrating a “foreign conspiracy” to remove him from power. Khan specifically alleged that Lu was involved in efforts to destabilize his government, citing a conversation between Lu and Pakistan’s then-ambassador to the U.S., Asad Majeed Khan, as evidence of interference.
In response to these allegations, supporters of Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), demanded Lu’s resignation, accusing him of leading efforts to oust the former prime minister. These demands were echoed in PTI rallies across the United States, increasing political pressure on the U.S. government. The U.S. government, however, strongly denied these allegations, dismissing them as baseless.
Despite the controversies, the State Department’s announcement clarifies that Lu’s departure is due to the completion of his tenure and is not a result of dismissal. This move is likely to be interpreted differently across political spectrums, with some viewing it as a routine transition and others as a significant change in U.S. diplomatic engagement in the region.
Prior to his role as Assistant Secretary, Lu served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2018 to 2021 and as Ambassador to Albania from 2015 to 2018. His extensive diplomatic career has been marked by various significant assignments, reflecting his deep involvement in U.S. foreign policy in diverse regions.
As of now, the State Department has not announced a successor for the position of Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs. The appointment of a new Assistant Secretary will be closely watched, given the strategic importance of the South and Central Asian region in U.S. foreign policy.
