Meet Pakistan's new Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced Sohail Mahmood to serve as the country's next foreign secretary replacing Tehmina Janjua set to retire next month.Mahmood, currently serving as High Commissioner in New Delhi, will assume office on April 16. He is an alumnus of Columbia University, New York, from where he studied Masters in International Affairs, before completing his Bachelor's degree of Arts in History & Political Science from Government College, Rawalpindi and sought Master's in the same field from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. As per the High Commission of Pakistan in Delhi's official website, other details about the new foreign secretary are listed below: Training ReceivedOctober 1985 : Joined Foreign Service of Pakistan (FSP)1985-1986 : Civil Services Academy, Lahore1986-1987 : Foreign Service Training Institute, Islamabad2005 (Sep-Dec) : National Institute of Public Administration, Lahore2012-13 : National Security and War Course (NSWC 2012-13),National Defence University (NDU), IslamabadPositions held at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad1987-1988 : Desk Officer (South Asia Division)1990-1991 : Desk Officer (South Asia Division)1995-1998 : Director (Iran & Turkey)2005-2008 : Director General (Americas)2009 (Jan-Oct) : Director General (Foreign Secretary’s Office)2013-15 : Additional Secretary (Afghanistan/West Asia) Assignments Abroad1991-1994 : Second Secretary, Embassy of Pakistan, Ankara1998-2000 : First Secretary, Embassy of Pakistan, Washington2001-2002 : Political Counselor, Embassy of Pakistan, Washington2003-2005 : Counselor, Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to UN, New York (Political Coordinator for Pakistan’s delegation to UN Security Council – term 2003-2004)2009-2013 : Ambassador to Thailand and Permanent Representative to UNESCAP, Bangkok2015-2017 : Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey, with concurrent accreditation to Macedonia and Kosovo Marital Status : Married with three children