ISLAMABAD : Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, former Secretary Ministry of Foriegn Affairs of Pakistan and former Director General Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) has assumed new responsibilities as Secretary General of the Developing-8 (D-8) Organization for Economic Cooperation at Istanbul in Turkiya where he has served as Ambassador of Pakistan few years ago.
He called on President Asif Ali Zardari on 19 Dec 2025 and sought his vision for the organization. The President congratulated and said it is a matter of pride for Pakistan that a seasoned Pakistani diplomat would be leading the organisation. He expressed confidence that Ambassador Mahmood’s experience and insight would help strengthen D-8 and enhance its relevance in the coming years.
Sohail Mahmood briefed the President on his new role and shared his enthusiasm for advancing cooperation among D-8 member states. He highlighted the organisation’s potential to promote economic growth and collective development across its diverse membership.
The President underscored Pakistan’s continued commitment to D-8 as a founding member and noted the importance of effective implementation of the D-8 Decennial Roadmap 2020–2030. He emphasised the need to translate agreed frameworks into tangible outcomes, particularly in priority areas including trade, agriculture, energy, industry, transportation and tourism.
Referring to the D-8 Preferential Trade Agreement, the President said that low levels of intra-D-8 trade highlighted the urgency of full operationalisation of the agreement. He welcomed the signing of the Protocol on the D-8 PTA Dispute Settlement Mechanism as a positive step towards addressing trade barriers and strengthening economic collaboration among member states.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar received Ambassador Sohail Mahmood in his office on 31 Dec. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood apprised DPM/FM of his new assignment. He affirmed his determination to carry forward the D-8 mission as envisioned by leadership of this organization.
Ishaq Dar wished him the best and also appreciated his contributions and role as former Foreign Secretary and DG ISSI. He further stressed that D-8 is a very viable organization and that, with Ambassador Sohail Mahmood as Secretary-General, it may be reinvigorated to enhance bilateral and multilateral relations among the member states.
On 19 Dec, the Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Amna Baloch hosted resident Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps from D-8 countries at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to introduce Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Secretary General (designate) of the D-8 Organization.
The Foreign Secretary lauded Ambassador Sohail Mahmood’s three decades of service in Pakistan’s Foreign Service and wished him success as Pakistan’s first Secretary General of the D-8.
The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) bid a warm and respectful farewell to Sohail Mahmood.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood took charge as the Director General of the ISSI on 1st January 2023, following his retirement from the Foreign Service of Pakistan. He served with distinction as the 30th Foreign Secretary of Pakistan.
During his tenure at ISSI, the Institute underwent far-reaching reforms aimed at strengthening its research capacity, institutional efficiency, and national and international outreach. Several new initiatives including: establishment of dedicated ‘ASEAN Corner’, ‘China Corner’ and the ‘Kashmir Resource Centre’ were undertaken by the Institute under his visionary leadership; further reinforcing ISSI’s role as a leading policy advocacy and strategic research institution.
Dr. Talat Shabbir, Malik Qasim Mustafa along with other members of the Research faculty shared their enriching professional experiences of working with Ambassador Sohail Mahmood. They highlighted the notable progress achieved in research output, dialogue initiatives, and institutional visibility under his stewardship.
Chairman of ISSI’s Board of Governors, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, paid rich tribute to Ambassador Sohail Mahmood’s transformative contributions for the ISSI. He lauded his pivotal role in enhancing the quality and relevance of the Institute’s research, expanding its outreach, and strengthening its policy input at national and international levels.
He also appreciated Ambassador Sohail Mahmood’s tireless efforts in elevating ISSI’s institutional profile with commitment and vision, noting that his leadership and dedication would be greatly missed.
In his farewell address, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood stated that it was a great privilege and honour for him to serve as the Director General ISSI. He reflected warmly on his tenure, describing the Institute’s committed research faculty and administrative staff as a source of strength and pride, and expressed gratification that ISSI was well-positioned to scale new heights in both research excellence and outreach and remain the country’s premier think-tank.
He thanked his colleagues for their dedication, professionalism, and unwavering support in carrying forward the Institute’s mission. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood also paid special tribute to Ambassador Khalid Mahmood for his sagacity and wise guidance to the Institute leadership in his capacity as chairman BoG, ISSI.
The event concluded with the presentation of Institute’s souvenir to Ambassador Sohail Mahmood by Chairman ISSI’s Board of Governors, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood.
