Zulfiqar Ali Khan

Zulfiqar Ali Khan was a career air officer before he became an ambassador. Born in Lahore in 1930, he received his commission in 1950 and served in fighter squadrons, operational commands, and training establishments. His appointments included the air advisory post in New Delhi and command of the Pakistan Air Force Academy. He became chief of air staff in 1974 and remained in office until 1978, attaining the rank of air chief marshal. ¹

After retirement he served as ambassador in Switzerland. In 1989 he joined Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Washington delegation as ambassador-designate. He joined the outgoing ambassador, Jamsheed Marker, during Bhutto's meeting with President George H. W. Bush. The discussion concerned Afghanistan, nuclear assurances, India, and the future of the bilateral relationship after Soviet withdrawal. ^{1, 2}

He also attended Bhutto's June 1989 meeting with World Bank president Barber Conable at Blair House. The discussion addressed budget restraint, tax administration, and development spending. Later that year he joined Pakistan's delegation to the Bank's annual meetings. His Washington posting ended in 1990. ^{3, 1}

Khan died in Islamabad in March 2005. ⁴