Mahmud Ali Durrani

Mahmud Ali Durrani ((;1941-24 October 2025) was a retired Pakistani two-star rank general officer, author of security studies, and a former National Security Advisor to the Pakistani government, serving from 2008 until his termination in 2009.

Durrani had previously served as Pakistan Ambassador to the United States.

Early years and military career Durrani was born in 1941 in Abbottabad, which is in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (formerly North-West Frontier Province) of Pakistan. He is an ethnic Pashtun from the Durrani tribe. He started his schooling at Army Burn Hall College in Srinagar in 1947. After graduating from Pakistan Military Academy in 1961 in the 24th PMA Long Course (same batch as General Jehangir Karamat, who later became the Army chief) and winning the sword of honour, he served in various command, staff and instructional posts for about 16 years. From 1977 to 1982, he was Pakistani Armed Forces attaché in Washington, D.C. He then served as military secretary to the president of Pakistan until 1986.

Durrani was the posted as the commander the 1st Armoured Division in Multan, and being the former MS to the president persuaded the then Army chief and president General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq to witness the tank exercise in Bahawalpur desert on 17 August 1988. It was on its way back to Islamabad that the C-130 carrying the presidential and higher military entourage crashed right after taking off from Bahawalpur airport, killing everyone on board.

From 1992 to 1998, Durrani was the chairman of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories Board. Mahmud He retired as a Major General of the Pakistan Army.

Academic and diplomatic career Durrani was also an advisor in the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, which he served from 2001 to 2004. After retiring from the Pakistani Army, he was actively involved in the peace efforts between Pakistan and India. As part of a process sponsored by the United Nations, he also worked with former senior officials from the United States, Russia and Iran to find a peaceful resolution to the Afghan crisis.

Durrani was also called "General Shanti" by an Indian newspaper for his effort in trying to promote peace with India and Pakistan.

National Security Advisor Durrani was appointed National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani in April 2008 at the behest of Asif Ali Zardari who, at the time, only held the post of co-chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (he became the President in September 2008). However, Durrani was fired as NSA by Gillani in January 2009 for not "taking Prime Minister into confidence" about accepting the nationality of Ajmal Kasab, the lone gunman captured in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, even though Durrani had consulted the ISI chief who had in turn consulted the President Zardari before announcing that Ajmal Kasab was a Pakistani national.

He was the father of three children.