Aziz Ahmed

Aziz Ahmed rose through Pakistan's senior civil administration before becoming an ambassador and foreign policy minister. He served as chief secretary in East Pakistan, cabinet secretary, and secretary-general of the central government. After Ayub Khan took full power in 1958, Ahmed also became deputy martial law administrator. He was posted to Washington in 1959 and remained ambassador until 1963. ¹

In Washington, Ahmed defended Pakistan's position on Kashmir and its increasingly close relationship with China. In February 1963 he explained to Secretary of State Dean Rusk why Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto would travel to Beijing to sign a border agreement. He said Pakistan had considered American objections and had proposed a lower level signature, but China insisted on the foreign minister's participation. Ahmed maintained that the provisional agreement would not prejudice India's interests. ²

He returned as foreign secretary from 1963 to 1966 and later chaired the Press Trust of Pakistan. After the 1971 war he again became secretary-general at the Foreign Ministry. In 1972 he negotiated with India's D. P. Dhar at Murree in preparation for the Simla summit and accompanied Bhutto to the subsequent talks with Indira Gandhi. ^{1, 3}

Ahmed served as minister of state for foreign affairs and defence from 1973 to 1977, then briefly as foreign minister in 1977. His ministerial career ended with the fall of Bhutto's government. He died in 1982. ^{1, 4}