Former foreign secretary Najmuddin A Shaikh passed away early on Friday morning in Karachi, his family said in a statement.

“It is with the most profound sorrow that we announce former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador, Najmuddin A Shaikh, passed away peacefully in his home on early Friday morning in Karachi,” the family said.

“We ask all to offer Surah-e-Fatiha to ease his passage to a more tranquil world.”

His funeral prayers will be held on 28 March (today) after Asr prayers at 5:15pm at the DHA Phase VIII Graveyard in Karachi.

He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Raana Shaikh; his two children, Nadir and Nermeen; his daughter-in-law Sobia and two grandchildren, Isaad and Lyali; his brothers Riaz, Siraj, Ajaz, and Fareed, and sisters, Waheeda and Raffat, his many nieces and nephews, and a legion of devoted friends.

Shaikh served as a high commissioner to Canada, ambassador to Germany, US and Iran.

He was a former member of the board of governors of the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad and a founding member of the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations.

Former foreign minister Khurram Dastgir Khan expressed his condolences for Shaikh’s death.

“One of the dwindling breed of diplomats interested deeply in the world and with the ability to analyse global events,” the former MNA said in a post on X.