Najmuddin Shaikh

Najmuddin Shaikh (Urdu: نجم الدین شیخ; 4 September 1939 – 28 March 2025) was a Pakistani diplomat who was ambassador to the United States (1990–1991), and later served as Foreign Secretary of Pakistan (1994–1997).^[1][2]

Najmuddin Shaikh
21st Foreign Secretary of Pakistan
In office 30 April 1994 – 24 February 1997
Prime Minister	Benazir Bhutto Nawaz Sharif
Preceded by	Shahryar Khan
Succeeded by	Shamshad Ahmad
Personal details
Born	(1939-09-04)4 September 1939
Died	28 March 2025(2025-03-28) (aged 85) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Spouse	Raana Shaikh
Alma mater	The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University

Education and family

Shaikh received his bachelor's degree from Sindh University.^[3] He was a graduate of Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (1962).^[3] His wife, Raana Shaikh, has served as the Managing Director of Pakistan Television, and earlier as Secretary for the Ministry of Culture. He was the brother of Air Marshal Riazuddin Shaikh.

Career

Shaikh joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1961. During his 38 years of service, he served as Pakistan's ambassador to Canada (1987–1989), ambassador to West Germany (1989–1990), ambassador to the United States (1990–1991), and ambassador to Iran (1992–1994). He then served as Foreign Secretary from 1994 to 1997, later replaced by Shamshad Ahmad. He also served as Pakistan's special envoy to Yemen, Sudan, Kenya, and Bahrain (February 2005).^[3]

Other activities

Shaikh was a member of the board of governors of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad and senior vice president of the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations. He penned a weekly column on foreign affairs for the Dawn newspaper and then later for the Daily Pakistan newspaper.

Death

Shaikh died in Karachi on 28 March 2025, at the age of 85.^[4][5]