Who is Jalil Abbas Jilani?

Jalil Abbas Jilani is once again in the limelight. Born on February 3, 1955, in Multan, Jilani hails from an influential family of high-profile bureaucrats. He is the cousin of former PM Yusuf Raza Gilani and is related by marriage to Makhdoum Salahiddin Jillani, the elder brother of Mr. Tassadaq Jilani, the former Chief Justice of Pakistan. His brother, Salim Abbas Jillani, is a retired Defence Secretary.

Jilani’s educational background is as impressive as his lineage. He is an alumnus of the University of Oxford, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law and an M.Sc degree in Defense and Strategic Studies. Following his graduation, he joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in March 1979.

Over the course of his career, Jilani has held several key positions. In 2010, he was promoted to the highest rank of BPS-22 grade, becoming the country’s Foreign Secretary in March 2012. He served in this capacity until December 2013, after which he became the 22nd Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, a position he held until February 2017.

Jilani’s expertise in South Asian affairs is well recognized. He has worked in SAARC, serving as the acting High Commissioner to India and Director (India) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also served as the deputy secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office between 1989 and 1992, and as the deputy high commissioner to India between 1999 and 2003.

In addition to these roles, Jilani has represented Pakistan in various capacities abroad. He has served as Pakistan’s envoy to Belgium, Luxemburg, the EU, and Australia. He also had stints in Jeddah and London in the 1980s.

In recent years, Jilani has continued to contribute to Pakistan’s foreign policy discourse. In 2018, he was nominated as a member of the Experts and Eminent Persons Group (EEP) of the ASEAN Regional Forum. The following year, he became a member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs. Currently, he serves as a Senior Director at the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), where he oversees international/regional developments and their implications on Pakistan.

Most recently, on August 9, 2023, Jilani’s name surfaced as one of the top options for the next caretaker prime minister of Pakistan. However, this is yet to be confirmed. With his extensive experience and deep understanding of Pakistan’s foreign policy landscape, Jilani’s potential appointment could have significant implications for the country’s future direction.