Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi (born 22 June 1956) is a Pakistani politician who served as the 29th Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2022.

Qureshi was born on 22 June 1956 in Multan, Punjab to a wealthy, political and prominent Makhdoom Qureshi family.

His family is of saintly lineage and caretakers of the Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya in Multan, which provides the family with substantial income, as well votes during the elections.

He remained a member of the Provincial 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.

Qureshi's father Makhdoom Sajjad Hussain Qureshi was former member of Senate of Pakistan and 15th Governor of the Punjab from 1985 to 1988 and was close friend of then President of Pakistan Muhammad Zia-ul-haq who appointed him as governor of Punjab.

Qureshi received his early education from Aitchison College, Lahore, a bachelor's from Forman Christian College and received MA (Law) and MA (History) degree from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

He also holds a B.A. degree from University

of the Punjab.

Qureshi is married and he is a father of one son, named Zain Hussain Qureshi and two daughters.

Qureshi is an agriculturalist and was the president of the Farmers Association of Pakistan.

Qureshi was elected for the first time to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from Multan in 1985 Pakistani general election which were held on a non-party basis during the military government of Muhammad Zia-ul-haq.

He joined the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) in 1986.

Qureshi later joined the faction of PML led by Nawaz Sharif, which would later become PML (N).

When PML split in 1988 after the death of Zia-ul-haq, and was re-elected for the second time to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from Multan in 1988 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.

Qureshi was re-elected for the third time to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from Multan as a candidate of PML N in 1990 Pakistani general election and served as the Minister of Finance in Chief Minister Manzoor Wattoo's provincial cabinet of Punjab from 1990 to 1993.

He served as the minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in the federal cabinet from 1993 to 1996 and later as the Mayor of Multan from 2000 to 2002.

In 1993 he joined the Pakistan People's Party.

Qureshi was elected for the first time to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Multan as a candidate of PPP in 1993 Pakistani general election.

He was appointed as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs under then Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto ministry.

In November, 1996, he was appointed as the spokesman of PPP.

Qureshi was defeated in the 1997 Pakistani general election by Makhdoom Javed Hashmi of PML-N.

He was offered a position in the Council of Economic Advisers to then President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, which he refused.

Qureshi served as the District Nazim (mayor) of Multan from 2000 to 2002.

During his mayor period, he well administrated the Multan district and oversaw a number of development projects.

Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly from 2002 to May 2018.

Born in Multan, Punjab, Qureshi studied at Aitchison College and received Bachelor of Arts degree from Forman Christian College and Master of Arts degree from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

He was re-elected for the second time to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Multan in 2002 Pakistani general election on PPP seat and defeated Makhdoom Javed Hashmi.

Reportedly, he used his influence as a mayor of Multan to win the 2002 elections.

In 2006, Benazir Bhutto appointed Qureshi as the President of Pakistan Peoples Party Punjab to revive the popularity of PPP in southern Punjab given his good experience.

Reportedly, Qureshi slapped an officer for beating a party activist of PPP in 2006.

He previously held the post from 2008 to 2011.

He was re-elected for the third time to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Multan in 2008 Pakistani general election.

Reportedly, Qureshi was a potential candidate for the Prime Minister of Pakistan in the coalition government headed by the PPP.

However, Qureshi was instead given the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani.

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 neighbouring India were amongst his top priorities.

He is the vice chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf political party since December 2011.

However, in 2014, he rejected the claims saying "I have never used religion for political gain. I have never dragged devotees of Sufi 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 the PTI.

Qureshi is fluent in Urdu, English, Punjabi and Saraiki.

He had been a member of the National Assembly from August 2018 till January 2023.