Well come Mr. Masood Khan former Spokesman Foreign Office Pakistan
As President of Azad Kashmir
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
Islamabad– A warm well come to H.E,Mr, Masood Khan the newly elected President of Azad Kashmir and former Spokesman for Pakistan Foreign Office ,Mr, Masood Khan Before nominated as President of Free State Azad Kashmir (Azad Jammu & Kashmir) by P.M. Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif he starts his career as a diplomat .He has full command on Kashmir subject. As journalist and founder president of Diplomatic Correspondent Forum of Pakistan (DFCP) ‘’ I personally found him an able, articulate and media-friendly; Mr. Masood Khan developed good rapport with local and foreign journalists and was accessible at all odd times. Mr., Masood Khan in his last news briefing at the foreign office introduced his successor Jalil Abbas Jilani, the current Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States the then director-general (South Asia) at the Foreign Ministry. To quote his colleague Mr.Jalil Abbas Jilani, who replaces him the then as spokesman, Mr. Masood Khan ended the briefing on a sentimental note, quoting Robert Frost’s famous verses: ‘’The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep’’. As a spokesman H.E,Mr, Masood Khan set very high standards that will make the job of his successor difficult. The Diplomatic Correspondent Forum of Pakistan (DFCP) founder president Asghar Ali Mubarak hosted a farewell and well come ceremony in the honor of outgoing Foreign Office Spokesman Masood Khan, and newly appointed who appointed his colleague Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani, who replaces him the then spokesman. The guest list was dominated by national and foreign media representatives who have been covering H.E, Mr. Masood Khan’s weekly news briefings for the past year and a half. A large number of Foreign Ministry officials were also there to say goodbye to their promising colleague. Former foreign secretary Riaz Khokhar, who had appointed Masood Khan as the Spokesman in June 2003, was also present on the occasion. The last guest to arrive was Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri. Masood Khan became the first director-general rank official to be appointed Foreign Office Spokesman. Earlier, this position was assigned only to additional secretaries. H.E, Mr., Masood Khan, who had been working as director-general (United Nations) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have vast experience in multilateral diplomacy and served in Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to UN in New York from 1993 to 1997. He also holds important diplomatic assignments in Pakistani missions in Beijing, The Hague and Washington DC. He was associated as the Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad by the Government of Pakistan. He was the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in New York until Feb 07, 2015.Beginning in September 2008; he was Pakistan’s Ambassador to China. Before that he was the ambassador and permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva from 2005 to 2008. He also stayed as the chairman of the Committee on Internet Governance at the World Summit on the Information Society in 2005, H.E, Mr., Masood Khan joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1980. His foreign assignments include: Third Secretary in Beijing (1984–1986), Second Secretary and First Secretary at The Hague (1986–1989) and Counselor at United Nations New York(1993–1997) and Political Counselor in Washington, D.C. (1997–2002).His assignments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include: section officer for Europe, Iran and South Asian countries (1980–1982), director for Economic Cooperation Organization, Overseas Pakistanis and International Conferences (1990–1991), director for Secretary General’s office (1991–1992), director-general for East Asia and Pacific (2002–2003), director-general for United Nations, Disarmament, and Organization of the Islamic Conference (2003–2004) and spokesman for Pakistan Foreign Office (2003–2005).He was appointed as Pakistan’s permanent representative to United Nations Office at Geneva in February 2005 During this time, he stayed as chairman for many forums including International Organization for Migration Council, Group of 77 and China at Geneva, Government Group of International Labour Organization (ILO), Conference on Disarmament and Organization of the Islamic Conference at Geneva. In September 2008, H.E, Mr., Masood Khan was appointed as Pakistan’s Ambassador to People’s Republic of China. In October 2012, H.E, Mr., Masood Khan was appointed as Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York.
Caption
Islamabad-A very rear Group photo along with H.E, Mr., Masood Khan the newly elected President of Free State Azad Kashmir the then Spokesman for Pakistan Foreign Office (2003–2005 and H.E. Mr. Jalil Abbas the current Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States at the farewell ceremony of Mr.Masood Khan hosted by founder president of Diplomatic Correspondent Forum of Pakistan (DFCP)Asghar Ali Mubarak on 05th MAR 2005 at Foreign Office Islamabad.
