Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri ready for Canberra assignment

Islamabad: Seasoned diplomat Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri held key meetings with President Arif Alvi and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi this week before flying to Canberra, Australia to take up the top job as Pakistan’s High Commissioner.

In the meeting with Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri , President Arif Alvi expressed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen relations with Australia in different areas especially education, agriculture, trade, water management, mining and Information Technology.

He said both the countries have huge potential to increase trade and economic cooperation. He underlined the need to attract Australian investment to Pakistan. He said Pakistan has adopted business friendly policies and shifted its focus from geo politics to geo-economics.
The President also asked the High commissioner designate to work for the facilitation and welfare of Pakistani diaspora in Australia.

Later, the diplomat also met Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and discussed the Pakistan-Australia relations.
The FM on the occasion said welfare of the overseas Pakistanis and prompt redress of their problems was the top priority of the government.

Qureshi lauded the services of Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri as spokesperson of the Foreign Office.
A seasoned diplomat and a career Foreign Service officer with over close to three decades of varied experience, Chaudhri has served at key Pakistan Missions, including the Embassy of Pakistan, Washington DC, and the High Commission for Pakistan, London.

He has also held important assignments at Headquarters, including as Director General (Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joint Secretary National Security at the National Security Division, and Director General at the President’s Secretariat.

Chaudhri holds a Masters degree in International Law from the University of London and second Masters in Business Administration. He is also an alumni of the National Defence University, Washington DC.