Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi

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Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi is a Pakistani diplomat and author. He has served as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh (2011–2014) and to New Zealand (2016–2017), with additional accreditation to Bhutan during his Bangladesh post and to Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati while in New Zealand.

He was born in Muzaffargarh District, Punjab, and studied at Government College University in Lahore. He is married to Asia Afrasiab. Hashmi joined Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1984. Early in his career he worked at the United Nations in New York, the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, D.C. (1987–1991) as third secretary, the High Commission in New Delhi (1994–1997) as first secretary, and the Pakistan Embassy in Vienna (1997–2000) as first secretary and Alternative Permanent Representative to the IAEA.

From 2003 to 2006 he was a minister at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, and then served as Deputy High Commissioner to India (2006–2009). In Islamabad he held roles including director for the Americas, director-general for South Asia, and staff officer to the Foreign Secretary.

Hashmi is known for a sharp memory and his ability to read people. He was involved in important talks with India, including delegations to New Delhi in 2010 and hosting India’s foreign secretary in Pakistan in June 2010.

As High Commissioner to Bangladesh (2011–2014), he worked to strengthen people-to-people ties, while Bangladesh highlighted past issues, including calls for a formal apology for 1971. From October 2014 to April 2016 he served as Additional Foreign Secretary for Asia-Pacific. In 2016 he became Pakistan’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, also covering Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati; he presented his credentials on June 1, 2016, and remained in this post until October 2017. He also helped build Pakistan’s relations with Samoa as one of the first ambassadors there. In early 2017 he was considered for the post of High Commissioner to India.

Hashmi is the author of 1971 Fact and Fiction: Views and Perceptions in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The book discusses the events surrounding the 1971 war, arguing that Mujibur Rahman did not originally intend to secede, and that Ayub Khan and Bhutto knew East Pakistan might not stay part of Pakistan for long. It also reflects on the roles and fates of other leaders involved and on the long-term future of India-Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.