Shamshad Ahmad

Education Shamshad Ahmad Khan did his master's degree in Political Science and B.A (Hons) from Government College Lahore before joining Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1965.

Diplomatic career His diplomatic career includes various posts at the capital of Pakistan, in Islamabad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in Pakistani missions abroad. He served as Ambassador to South Korea (1987–1990) and Iran (1990–1992), as Secretary-General, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) (1992–1996), Pakistan's Foreign Secretary (1997–2000), and as Pakistan's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN (2000–2002). Speaking after the nuclear tests, Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmad Khan told reporters that it was not Pakistan's purpose to enter into an arms race with India and that Pakistan was forced to develop its nuclear capability only in self-defense and only to restore the strategic balance with India after their nuclear tests earlier.

Earlier, he signed the June 23, 1997 agreement in Islamabad with his Indian counterpart Salman Haider on resumption of India-Pakistan peace process which is today the basis of the ongoing "composite dialogue" between the two countries.

In the aftermath of India-Pakistan nuclear tests in May 1998, he played a key role in promoting mutual "restraint and responsibility" between India and Pakistan, and on the occasion of the Lahore Summit, signed a memorandum of understanding with his Indian counterpart on February 21, 1999, laying down a framework of mutual "nuclear risk reduction" and other confidence-building measures aimed at preventing the risk of nuclear conflict and unauthorized or accidental use of nuclear weapons.

Pakistan ambassador to UN During his tenure as Ambassador to the United Nations, he co-chaired together with Ambassador of New Zealand, UN General Assembly's Working Group on Conflict Resolution and Sustainable Development in Africa, and also served as Senior Consultant to the UN on economic and social matters (2002–2003) with particular focus on sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Ambassador Shamshad Ahmad Khan also co-chaired, together with Ambassador Ruth Jacoby of Sweden, the International Conference on Financing for Development held in Monterrey (Mexico) on 18–22 March 2002.

Books

Dreams Unfulfilled by Shamshad Ahmad Khan, 2009. Pakistan's Foreign Policy Dilemma: A Perennial Quest for Survival, 2020. Witness to History, 2025.