Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has nominated Ali Jahangir Siddiqui as Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Chaudhry’s tenure is due to expire and the government hasn’t offered him an extension. Siddiqui was appointed as the special assistant to the PM in August 2017.
Siddiqui’s appointment will be finalised after Washington reviews the candidate and sends a decision. An ambassador’s status is only finalised after the host country – in this case, the United States – sends in an approval.
Siddiqui is the chairman of JS Bank and JS Private Equity and is the son of the eponymous JS – business tycoon Jahangir Siddiqui.
He has some public sector experience as well, having served as a member of the Privatisation Commission, a member of the Private Sector Advisory Board of the Planning Commission, a member of the Sindh Board of Investment, and as a member of the Community Development Board of the Government of Sindh.
He also previously served as executive director of JS Investments. Before moving to Pakistan in 2002, Siddiqui worked in Hong Kong as a director with Crosby Capital, an Asian private equity asset management firm that managed over US$400 million including funds managed on behalf of the Hong Kong and Korean governments.
Siddiqui’s other business interests include the UAE-based Arabian Gulf Steel – Canadian oil and gas company Jura Energy, UAE-based RAK Ghani Glass, and Saudi-based Star Marine Services.
He was also honorary CEO of the Mahvash and Jahangir Siddiqui Foundation charity.
Siddiqui holds a BA in economics from Cornell University in New York and was honoured by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader in 2014.
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Diplomacy