US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu steps down after term ends

The U.S. Department of State has quietly confirmed that Donald Lu, the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, has left his post following the completion of his term on January 17, 2025.

According to media, this announcement clarifies that Donald Lu has stepped down after completing his tenure and was not dismissed. However, this move might be interpreted as a minor change following the PTI’s victory and a shift in the government.

Donald Lu’s tenure has been tumultuous for Pakistan, with political storms involving former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the country’s military establishment, and the current political setup in Islamabad. Lu became a central figure in political controversy after Khan accused the United States of plotting to oust him from power.

The U.S. State Department posted a brief announcement on its official website stating, “Donald Lu’s term ended on January 17, 2025.”

He had been leading the bureau responsible for managing U.S.-Pakistan relations since his appointment on September 15, 2021. Before this role, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan from 2018 to 2021 and as the U.S. Ambassador to Albania from 2015 to 2018.

The storm surrounding Donald Lu intensified in March 2022 when Imran Khan accused the U.S. of orchestrating a “foreign conspiracy” to remove him from office. Khan specifically pointed to Donald Lu, alleging that he was involved in efforts to destabilize his government. Khan presented a conversation between Lu and then-U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Asad Majid Khan, as evidence of U.S. interference.

This conversation, referred to as the “cipher,” was allegedly detailed in a diplomatic cable sent by Ambassador Asad Majid to Islamabad, and it became the centerpiece of Khan’s broader narrative of foreign intervention in Pakistan’s politics.

Donald Lu’s tenure will likely be remembered as a key chapter in the ongoing political drama, which Pakistani media has dubbed “Cipher Gate,” referring to the controversial cable that allegedly documented U.S. interference in Pakistan’s politics.