Guest Profiles

Sartaj Aziz: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security (2013 - Present) Former Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998-1999) Sartaj Aziz is a development economist and obtained a degree in commerce from the Punjab University in Pakistan and subsequently a Masters' degree in development economics from Harvard University, USA in 1963.
His career can be divided in four phases: The first phase as a civil servant lasted from 1952 to 1970 in the Ministry of Finance and in the Planning Commission, where he was Joint Secretary, Plan Co-ordination from 1967 to 1971, and received the award of Sitara-e-Khidmat for his contribution. In 1971, he began his 12 year international career, when he joined FAO as Director of Commodities and Trade Division in Rome. In 1974, he served as Deputy Secretary General of the World Food Conference, held in Rome in November 1974 and was one of the architects of the global food security system which emerged from the Conference and of the proposal to establish the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). In 1977, after serving as Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Council for two years he was Assistant President, Policy and Planning at IFAD from December 1977 to April 1984.
The third phase of Aziz career started in 1984 when he returned to Pakistan to begin his political career as Minister of State for Food and Agriculture, where he served as Finance Minister from August 1990 to June 1993 and again from February 1997 to August 1998. He was Pakistan's Foreign Minister from August 1998 to October 1999. He was elected to the Pakistan Senate in March 1985 and remained its member till October 1999. In June 2013, Mr Aziz resumed his political career, when he joined the Cabinet as Prime Minister's Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs.
Mr Aziz has written several books and articles. His most important contribution to development literature was his book on China, "Rural Development: Learning from China", which was published by Macmillan from London in 1978. His memoirs entitled "Between Dreams and Realities: Some Milestones in Pakistan's history", were published by the Oxford University Press in August 2009.
Hina Rabbani Khar, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2008-2011) Hina Rabbani Khar was the 26th Foreign Minister of Pakistan. Having grown up in a political surrounding and coming from a very politically active family, she began her political career in 2002 in the government of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and subsequently served in the Finance Ministry and Foreign Ministry as Minister of State. After successfully contesting the 2008 general election, she served again in the Finance Ministry and directed policies concerning the national economy in the absence of the then Finance Minister in 2009.
She was appointed the first female Foreign Minister in July 2011 following the resignation of Mehmood Qureshi. Since 2008, she has been a senior and high-ranking member of the Central Executive Committee, and is widely regarded as one of the highest ranking women in Pakistani politics.
During her era, she played a key role in voicing Pakistan's concerns regarding the global war on terror, attempting to restore healthy relations with India, building economic and political linkages with China and Russia and most importantly calling Nato to be held accountable regarding the attack on Pakistani troops on its home soil where 24 officers were attacked. She demanded an apology for the incident and voiced Pakistan's continuing role as an ally and frontline partner in the ongoing war on terror.
Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs (2002-2007) Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from November 2002 until November 2007 under President Pervez Musharraf regime. During his era of diplomacy significant progress was made towards peace between India and Pakistan, including a step closer to a deal on Kashmir through back channel dialogues.
He is currently Chairman of the Regional Peace Instituteand Senior Advisor on Political and International Affairs and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Task Force on Kashmir and a member of the Core Committee of the Party.
Khurshid Kasuri obtained BA (Hons) degree from the Punjab University in 1961. After completing his education at home, he did his tripos degree from Cambridge University and qualified as Barrister-at-Law at Gray's Inn London. After Cambridge, he was admitted to Oxford University for postgraduate work in Public Administration &Political Science. He took French civilisation courses at the Sorbonne University in Paris and the University of Nice in France. He is a senior member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its candidate for National Assembly form Kasur.
He is also the author of a new book titled "Neither Hawk nor Dove" which is an insider's accounts of Pakistani diplomatic relations which include candid accounts of politicians and the countries they represent with light being shed on Pakistan, India, Israel and US relations. The book is published by Oxford University Press.