Former Foreign Minister & Vice Chairman PTI
Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi is a prominent politician of Pakistan. He is also an agriculturist. Qureshi is the current Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf and holds a top role in the party.
Early Life and Education
Shah Mahmood Qureshi was born on 22 June, 1956 at Murree. He belongs to a noble, religious and political family of Multan. Qureshi received his early education from Aitchison College, Lahore. He received a Bachelor’s degree in History from Forman Christian College. Qureshi also received a Master’s degree in Law and Politics from University of Cambridge(England). He is married and has 3 children. Qureshi’s father Makhdoom Sajjad Hussain Qureshi was Governor of Punjab(1985-1988) and his grandfather Makhdoom Mureed Hussain Qureshi was Member of Legislative Assembly in British India. He was also a companion of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Shah Mahmood Qureshi is the current custodian (Sajjad Nasheen) of Shrines of Hazrat Ghous Bahauddin Zakariya Multani and Hazrat Shah Rukn e Alam.
Political Career
Shah Mahmood Qureshi was first elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab from Multan in 1985, which were held on a non-party basis. He joined the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) under the leadership of Muhammad Khan Junejo in 1986. He joined the faction of PML led by Nawaz Sharif, which later became PML (N), when PML split in 1988 after the death of Zia-ul-Haq. He was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly from Multan in 1988. He served as the Minister of Planning and Development in the cabinet of Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif from November 1988 to August 1990. Qureshi served as the Minister of Finance in Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet from 1990-1993.Qureshi parted ways with Nawaz Sharif in 1993 and joined the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 1993 under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto. He was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Multan in the general elections of 1993, and served as the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs under Prime Minister Bhutto. Qureshi served as the District Nazim of Multan from 2000 to 2002. He was appointed as Vice chairman of PTI and holds a important role in the party’s leadership along with Imran Khan, who he has supported constantly.
He served as the 36th Minister of Foreign Affairs under Imran Khan’s government from 2018 to 2022, where he advocated for a free, independent Pakistani foreign policy alongside Imran Khan. He is well-educated and skilled in matters of foreign policy providing stances based on justice from Pakistan on many worldwide issues.
He was illegally and unlawfully arrested in December 2023 based on fabricated charges designed to target him and the PTI. He was granted release orders from the Supreme Court of Pakistan and was, by law, set for release. Despite this, he was re-arrested, mistreated and harrassed by guards. He remains imprisoned to this day which has sparked controversy and showed that there is no regard for the rule of law and the constitution in Pakistan. He was granted acquital in a case alongside Imran Khan in 2024, but still remains jailed in a blatant attempt to crack down on the PTI, exposing the facism of Pakistan’s current government. Despite attempts to break his resolve, he is among the top leaders who stand firm with Imran Khan today.
