Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri

Who is Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri?

Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, is a senior foreign service statesman, politician, and diplomat who briefly tenured as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from November 2002 until November 2007.

Hailing from a political family, Kasuri joined the Foreign service in 1960s, and played a crucial role in the foreign politics of East-Pakistan in 1970s where he became noted for his diplomatic skills, although he became aware of atrocities committed by Pakistan's authorities. In 1970s–80s, Kasuri also served in the Foreign ministry as a director of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe Affairs. His political activism started in 1980s through the MRD alliance led by Benazir Bhutto, while continuing his foreign service assignments in the USSR. He was brought into international arena and political fame by Shaukat Aziz in 2004, and was a noted for his diplomatic skills to serve for his country. In foreign politics, he helped normalize relations with Israel, Russia, India, and the European Union, and putting forward the neutral policies towards other countries. He unsuccessfully contested in a 2008 general elections and subsequently developed serious disagreements with his party's leadership, leading the events to join him the PTI in 2011.