Shah Mahmood Qureshi | |
|---|---|
| مخدوم شاہ محمود قریشی | |
.jpg) Qureshi in March 2022 | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 20 August 2018 – 10 April 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Imran Khan |
| Preceded by | Abdullah Hussain Haroon (Caretaker) |
| Succeeded by | Bilawal Bhutto Zardari |
| In office 31 March 2008 – 9 February 2011 | |
| Prime Minister | Yusuf Raza Gillani |
| Preceded by | Inam-ul-Haq (Caretaker) |
| Succeeded by | Hina Rabbani Khar |
| Mayor of Multan | |
| In office 28 March 2001[citation needed] – 5 January 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Malik Aamir Dogar |
| Succeeded by | Maj Azam Suleman (Acting) |
| Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office 20 December 1994 – 5 November 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | Benazir Bhutto |
| Preceded by | Tanvir ul Hasan Gilani |
| Succeeded by | Shahid Hamid (Caretaker) |
| Provincial Minister for Finance of Punjab | |
| In office 1990–1993 | |
| Governor | Mian Muhammad Azhar Chaudhry Altaf Hussain |
| Chief Minister | Ghulam Haider Wyne |
| In office 1988–1990 | |
| Governor | Tikka Khan |
| Chief Minister | Nawaz Sharif |
| Provincial Minister of Punjab for Planning and Development | |
| In office 1988–1990 | |
| Governor | Tikka Khan |
| Chief Minister | Nawaz Sharif |
| Member of theNational Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 13 August 2018 – 10 April 2022 | |
| Constituency | NA 150 Multan-III |
| In office 2013–2018 | |
| Constituency | NA 150 Multan-III |
| In office 2008–2011 | |
| Constituency | NA 151 Multan-I |
| In office 2002–2007 | |
| Constituency | NA 151 Multan-I |
| In office 1993–1996 | |
| Constituency | NA120 Multan-cum-Khanewal |
| Member of theProvincial Assembly of Punjab | |
| In office 1990–1993 | |
| Constituency | PP166 Multan |
| In office 1988–1990 | |
| Constituency | PP166 Multan |
| In office 12 March 1985 – 30 May 1988 | |
| Constituency | PP164 Multan |
| Vice Chairman ofPTI | |
| Assumed office 3 December 2011 | |
| Chairman | Imran Khan Gohar Ali Khan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi (1956-06-22)22 June 1956 (age 69)[1][2] |
| Political party | PTI (2011–present) |
| Other political affiliations | PPP (1993–2011) IJI (1988–1993) |
| Relations | Ashiq Hussain Qureshi (cousin) Zahoor Hussain Qureshi (nephew) |
| Children | Zain Qureshi |
| Parent |
|
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge Stanford University |
Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi (Urdu:مخدوم شاہ محمود حسین قریشی; born 22 June 1956) is a Pakistani politician who served as theminister of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2022. He previously held the post from 2008 to 2011. He had been aMember of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 till January 2023. He is the vice chairman of thePTI political party since December 2011.[3][4]Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly from 2002 to May 2018.
Born inMultan,Punjab, Qureshi studied atAitchison College and received Bachelor of Arts degree fromForman Christian College and Master of Arts degree fromCorpus Christi College,Cambridge. He remained a member of theProvincial Assembly of the Punjab for nine years from 1985 to 1993 and had served in the provincial cabinet in various positions between 1988 and 1993. He served as the minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs in the federal cabinet from 1993 to 1996 and later as the mayor ofMultan from 2000 to 2002.
He was elected asMember of the National Assembly of Pakistan, fromMultan and resigned from membership on10 April 2022.[5]
In July 2025, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was acquitted by anAnti-Terrorism Court inLahore in a case linked to the May 9 riots, which followed the arrest of former Prime MinisterImran Khan. The court cited lack of evidence in clearing Qureshi and five others, while sentencing 10 PTI leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, to 10 years in prison. The case, involving charges of incitement and vandalism, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders, who allege that thePakistan Army and government are using judicial means to suppress dissent and silence calls for Imran Khan’s release.[6]
Qureshi was born on 22 June 1956[7][8] inMultan, Punjab to a wealthy, political and prominentMakhdoomQureshi family.[citation needed] His family is of saintly lineage and caretakers of theShrine of Bahauddin Zakariya in Multan, which provides the family with substantial income, as well votes during the elections.[9][10] However, in 2014, he rejected the claims saying "I have never used religion for political gain. I have never dragged devotees ofSufi saints in political matters, and those who vote for me do it of their free will." after his brother accused Qureshi was using the names of Sufi saints for political gains and Qureshi using donations for thePTI.[10][9]
Qureshi is fluent inUrdu,English,Punjabi andSaraiki.[2] Qureshi's fatherMakhdoom Sajjad Hussain Qureshi was former member of Senate of Pakistan[11] and 15thGovernor of the Punjab from 1985 to 1988[1] and was close friend of then President of PakistanMuhammad Zia-ul-Haq who appointed him as governor of Punjab.[11] Qureshi received his early education fromAitchison College, Lahore,[12] abachelor's fromForman Christian College and received MA (Law) and MA (History) degree[11] fromCorpus Christi College, Cambridge.[1] He also holds a B.A. degree from Universityof the Punjab.[2]
Qureshi is married and he is a father of one son, namedZain Hussain Qureshi and two daughters.[1] Qureshi is an agriculturalist and was the president of the Farmers Association ofPakistan.[1]
Qureshi was elected for the first time to theProvincial Assembly of the Punjab fromMultan in the1985 Pakistani general election which were held on a non-party basis during the military government ofMuhammad Zia-ul-Haq.[11] He joined the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) in 1986.[12][11][1]
Qureshi later joined the faction of PML led byNawaz Sharif, which would later becomePML (N). When PML split in 1988 after the death of Zia-ul-Haq,[12] and was re-elected for the second time to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab fromMultan in the1988 Pakistani general election and served as the Minister of Planning and Development in the provincial cabinet of Punjab of then Chief Minister of Punjab Nawaz Sharif from November 1988 to August 1990.[11][1][12][2]
Qureshi was re-elected for the third time to theProvincial Assembly of the Punjab fromMultan as a candidate of PML N in the1990 Pakistani general election and served as the Minister of Finance in Chief MinisterManzoor Wattoo's provincial cabinet of Punjab from 1990 to 1993.[11][12]
In 1993 he joined the Pakistan People's Party. Qureshi was elected for the first time to theNational Assembly of Pakistan fromMultan as a candidate of PPP in the1993 Pakistani general election. He was appointed Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs under then Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto ministry. In November 1996, he was appointed the spokesman of PPP.[1][12][2]
Qureshi was defeated in the1997 Pakistani general election[2] byMakhdoom Javed Hashmi of PML-N.[12] He was offered a position in the Council of Economic Advisers to then President of PakistanPervez Musharraf, which he refused.[1]
Qureshi served as the District Nazim (mayor) of Multan from 2000 to 2002.[12] During his mayor period, he well administered the Multan district and oversaw a number of development projects.[2]
He was re-elected for the second time to the National Assembly of Pakistan fromMultan in the2002 Pakistani general election on PPP seat and defeated Makhdoom Javed Hashmi.[12] Reportedly, he used his influence as a mayor of Multan to win the 2002 elections.[2] In 2006, Benazir Bhutto appointed Qureshi as the President of Pakistan Peoples Party Punjab[1][12] to revive the popularity of PPP in southern Punjab given his good experience.[13] Reportedly, Qureshi slapped an officer for beating a party activist of PPP in 2006.[1]
He was re-elected for the third time to the National Assembly of Pakistan fromMultan in the2008 Pakistani general election.[12]
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Reportedly, Qureshi was a potential candidate for thePrime Minister of Pakistan in the coalition government headed by the PPP. However,[2] Qureshi was instead given the post ofMinister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime MinisterYousaf Raza Gillani.[12][14]
After taking charge of the office, Qureshi immediately made clear that he was committed to establishing peace in the region and that maintaining friendly ties with neighbouringIndia were amongst his top priorities.[15] Qureshi went on his first visit as foreign minister to China in October 2008 with then Defence Minister of PakistanAhmad Mukhtar and then President of PakistanAsif Ali Zardari.[16]
In 2011, Qureshi faced criticism in Pakistan when it was discovered that his son, Zain H. Qureshi, was working as a Legislative Fellow in the office of SenatorJohn Kerry.[17]
In February 2011, the Government of Pakistan reduced the number of cabinet seats[18] and during the transition, Qureshi was offered the position of Minister of Water and Power. He declined, saying that he was "not interested in water and power ministry in place of foreign affairs."[19]
In February 2011, he lost the portfolio of Foreign Minister following theRaymond Davis affair.[20][12]
In November 2011, Qureshi resigned from the PPP where he had been for the past 20 years. He also quit his National Assembly membership[12] saying that "I had joined the PPP under Benazir Bhutto’s leadership, and PPP was no longer a party of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto; it is now Zardari league. He said he did not want to be a part of Zardari league and announced to resign from the party membership."[21][22]
Qureshi is one of three prominent politicians from Multan District, the other two being theYousaf Raza Gillani andJaved Hashmi (Multan II) and are considered political rivals to each other.[23] It was reported that Qureshi would re-join PML-N.[23]
In late November 2011, Qureshi announced joining thePakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) at a rally inGhotki.[12][24][25][26][27] On 4 December 2011, he was appointed the first Vice Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf[28][29] as its parliamentary leader in National Assembly of Pakistan.[30] In 2016 intra-party elections, Qureshi was re-appointed the Vice Chairman of PTI, which is considered one of the three senior most positions in the party.[31] He was re-elected to the National Assembly fromMultan in the2013 Pakistani general election on the ticket of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.[29]
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He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PTI from ConstituencyNA-156 (Multan-III) in the2018 Pakistani general election.[32] Following his successful election, he emerged as PTI's nominee for the office of Speaker of the National Assembly. Reportedly, Imran Khan convinced him to take the office because of his long parliamentary experience. However, Qureshi showed reluctance to take the portfolio.[33]
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On 18 August,Imran Khan formally announced his federal cabinet structure and Qureshi was named asMinister for Foreign Affairs.[34] On 20 August 2018, he was sworn in as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs in the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan.[35]
On 21 May 2021, while he was inNew York City at an emergency session held by theUnited Nations General Assembly on 20 May to discuss a response to the2021 Israel–Palestine crisis,[36] Qureshi conducted an interview with American journalistBianna Golodryga onCNN. During the interview, Qureshi stated: "Israel is losing out. They're losing the media war despite their connections"; Golodryga asked, "What are their connections?"; to which Qureshi replied, "Deep pockets." before elaborating further: "Well, they are very influential people. I mean,they control media."[37] Golodryga responded, "I would call that an antisemitic remark," and the comment sparked controversy and a public discussion of Jewish stereotypes.[37][38][39][40]
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On 20 August 2023, Qureshi was arrested by authorities due to his relation toLettergate on the basis of using the diplomatic “cypher” cable for political gains.[41] He was tried on charges of making state secrets public in violation of theOfficial Secrets Act. TheSupreme Court of Pakistan ordered his release fromAdiala jail, though he was re-arrested on 27 December 2023. His re-arrest drew widespread criticism fromPTI and international observers for mistreatment as Qureshi was manhandled and dragged to his jail cell by police.[42] PTI stated that his arrest was a sign offascism in Pakistan. Former PresidentArif Alvi stated that "treating an ex foreign minister from two regimes in an undignified manner must draw the attention of the authorities."[43]
On 3 July 2020, Qureshi announced he had tested positive forCOVID-19 days after holding high-profile meetings including one with U.S. special representative on AfghanistanZalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad.[44][45] He eventually recovered.
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| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Minister of Foreign Affairs 2008–2011 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Abdullah Hussain Haroon Caretaker | Minister of Foreign Affairs 2018–2022 | Succeeded by |
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