Born on 1st October, 1945

Holds degrees of B.A. (Hons) and M.A. (Maths)

Served as Assistant Professor in the Mathematics Department, Punjab University, Lahore (October 1965 - October 1969)

Joined Foreign Service of Pakistan on 10 October 1969. Held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad: Beijing (October 1970-August 1973) and New York (August 1979-June 1986). Served in the Ministry as Section Officer/Director (August 1973-April 1979) and Director General (June 1986-December 1988) and (June 1990-June 1992). He was on deputation to the Georgetown University, Washington USA from December 1989.

Also served as Ambassador of Pakistan to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (June 1992-April 1995) and to Belgium, Luxemburg and European Union (April 1995-July 1998).

Served as Additional Foreign Secretary from July 1998 to August 2002, responsible for multilateral affairs, disarmaments control issues and economic coordination. He was Pakistan's Commissioner for the D-8 during this period.

Also served as Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from July 2000 to November 2001.

Ambassador of Pakistan to China from August 2002 to 11 February 2005.

Foreign Secretary of Pakistan since 15 February 2005.

Widely traveled and has attended a large number of UN/International Conferences, UN General Assembly Sessions, Non-aligned Conferences, OIC Conferences at the Summit, Ministerial and senior levels, in addition
to bilateral meetings at Heads of State/Government and other levels.

Author of a book "Untying the Afghan Knot: Negotiating Soviet Withdrawal" published by Duke University Press (USA) in 1991 and Progressive Press (Pakistan) in 1993. Also co-authored a study on Chinese Communes "Yellow Sand Hill" published in Bangladesh in 1975. Also contributed articles in national and international press.

He is married.