Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani

Foreign Minister of Pakistan

Mr. Jalil Abbas Jilani is the 33rd Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was sworn in by the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, as Caretaker Foreign Minister on 17 August 2023.

Ambassador Jilani has 38 years of bilateral and multilateral experience as a career diplomat, having served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Belgium, Luxemburg and the EU, and High Commissioner to Australia. He remained the Spokesperson in the Foreign Office from 2005-2006. He was appointed the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan in 2012, the top civil service official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and served in that capacity until 2013.

A specialist in South Asian affairs, Ambassador Jilani has worked as Director General for South Asia and SAARC, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Acting High Commissioner to India. He served as member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs from 2019-2022.

Ambassador Jilani has been a member of prominent think-tanks including Center for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) and Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).

He holds an M.Sc. in Defence and Strategic Studies, and Bachelors of Law (LLB).

Mr. Jilani is married to Shaista Jilani and has three sons.