Wajid Shamsul Hasan

Wajid Shamsul Hasan completed his Masters (MA) in International Relations in 1962, followed by Bachelor's degree in Law (BA LLB). After completing his education in 1962, he formally joined Pakistan's biggest newspaper chain-‘The Jang Group of Newspapers’. He became Editor of its English newspaper ‘The Daily News’ in early 1969. He also edited J's English Weekly Magazine-‘The Weekly MAG’ from Karachi.

Earlier, in 1968, he did an extensive course for senior journalists in the United Kingdom after he was awarded the prestigious “Commonwealth Press Union Scholarship”. While he received his practical training in journalism at the ‘Bristol Evening Post’ and London's ‘Evening Standard’, he completed short academic courses at Oxford (Queen Elizabeth Hall) and Thomson Media Foundation at Cardiff. In early 1989 he left ‘Daily News’ to become ‘Chairman of the National Press Trust (NPT)’, largest conglomerate of more than 14 newspapers, magazines in Pakistan-both in English and Urdu languages, published from the four provinces including capital city of Islamabad.

After completing a three-year tenure he became a private media consultant, helped various group of publications in their new media ventures. In this period he also served former Prime Minister of Pakistan Ms Benazir Bhutto as Advisor. In early 1994 the government of Pakistan appointed him as Pakistan's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He relinquished this post in November 1996 and returned to his own publishing and media consultancy business besides remaining as the key advisor to Ms Benazir Bhutto.

In 2008, Government of Pakistan reappointed him as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

As a senior journalist-having put in more than 42 years in the profession-Mr Hasan has travelled far and wide. He has been member of the official delegations and media teams on official visits of the Presidents and the prime ministers. He was part of the Presidential entourage at the crucial Simla Peace Summit with India in 1972. He has been to the United States and China several times, attended the UN General Assembly Sessions and the Joint Session of the American Congress. In February 1976 Mr Hasan had accompanied Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his official tour to Canada/USA as part of his media team. In 1991 he accompanied Ms Benazir Bhutto to Vancouver on her lecture tour to the United States.

He has visited Japan, Moscow, France, Germany (both sides when Berlin wall was still there), Turkey, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Scandinavian countries, New Zealand (as Pakistan's High Commissioner and member of Presidential team to attend the Commonwealth Summit 1995), Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Bangkok. Mr Hasan has also travelled extensively all over Middle East. In late March (2005) he was a participant at a conference on Middle East Plan held at Ben Gurion University, Be'er-Sheba organised by its Department of Middle Eastern Studies.

He attended and contributed to a French Senate-sponsored conference on Afghanistan in Paris and a conference on the issue of empowerment of women in Brussels. He has attended several other international conferences including Labour Party Conferences since1994 and the Conference of the Socialist International.

Mr Hasan is a prolific writer and a sought after commentator on South Asia and world affairs including Middle East. He is invited by BBC TV channels, BBC radio, Sky, CNN, Zee TV, Middle Eastern TV channels, Ptv Prime, Ary Digital and other electronic and print media to share his views on the developing issues related to South Asia and Middle East. Presently he is working on a number of books based on his experiences as a journalist and a diplomat. In the context of Pakistan's domestic politics, Mr Hasan is respected for his secular and liberal views and commitment to the cause of democracy and empowerment of the people especially women and minorities. He has suffered at the hands of various administrations for his independent views. He is opposed to religious extremism and bigotry.

Mr Hasan is married and has a grown up son.