Colombo, Oct. 23 (TNS): New Pakistan envoy to Sri Lanka Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat affirmed desire to further strengthen political, economic and people-to-people relations with island nation.
The High Commissioner of Pakistan presented his credentials to the President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s Office on Monday.
During the audience with Sri Lankan President, High Commissioner, Dr. Hashmat conveyed best wishes of the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan to the President and people of Sri Lanka. He affirmed the desire to further strengthen political, economic and people-to-people relations with Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan President, while warmly welcoming the High Commissioner, extended his full support for enabling him to complete his mission with distinct success. The President hoped that during his tenure, the relationship between the two countries will improve further.
Major General (R) Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat, Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) was commissioned in Pakistan Army in March 1979. He has varied experience of command, staff and instructional assignments.
He has served with United Nations Peacekeeping Force as Contingent Commander in Haiti (1997-98) and as Mission Planning Officer and Officer in Charge, Generic Planning Unit, at Department of Peacekeeping Operations, United Nations Secretariat, New York (1999-2001).
He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations (2001) and a Post-Doc in International Cooperation (2014).
After his retirement from the Army in April 2014, he worked as Principal / Dean of National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), and Center for Peace and Conflict Studies and Centre for International Peace and Stability, Islamabad (2014-16). During this time, he also remained as a Residential Fellow of Global Think Tank Network at NUST, Islamabad. Prior to his appointment as High Commissioner, he was serving as Advisor at Centre for Counter Violent Extremism and Conflict Resolution at National Defense University, Islamabad.
He has authored a book titled: “International Conflict Resolution: Role of the UN and the OIC”, published in 2014. Besides contributing a number of articles to various national journals, he regularly participates in national and international seminars on International Peace and Stability.
