First Foreign Minister of Pakistan: Sir Zafrullah Khan’s Story
Who was Pakistan’s first foreign minister? Sir Muhammad Zafrullah Khan — the diplomat who built Pakistan’s Foreign Office from nothing, argued Kashmir at the United Nations, and became the only person in history to lead both the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
Years as Foreign Minister
Took Office (December)
Left Office (October)
Global Bodies He Presided Over
Years Lived (1893–1985)
Of His Kind in History
The Man
Who Was Sir Zafrullah Khan?
Born 6 February 1893 in Sialkot, Muhammad Zafrullah Khan was already one of British India’s most distinguished lawyers before Pakistan existed.
A jurist first
He rose through the colonial legal system to become a judge of the Federal Court of India, and was knighted for his service — hence “Sir”. His legal mind would define his diplomacy.
Pakistan’s advocate
He led the Muslim League’s case before the Radcliffe Commission that drew the Punjab boundary in 1947 — one of the most consequential legal arguments in South Asian history.
A founding father
Moving to Karachi in August 1947, he joined Pakistan’s first cabinet under Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan as the country’s debut foreign minister — the office he would define from scratch.
For the wider story of the generation that built the country, see our Famous Pakistani Personalities guide and the History of Pakistan 1857–1947.
1947–1954
Seven Years as Foreign Minister
In his own memoir, Zafrullah Khan dates his tenure from 26 December 1947 to 7 October 1954. He inherited an empty office — under the British, foreign affairs had been the Viceroy’s personal preserve — and built Pakistan’s foreign service from almost nothing.
Kashmir and Palestine at the United Nations
Weeks before taking office, he led Pakistan’s delegation to the UN General Assembly in October 1947, advocating the Muslim world’s position on Palestine. From 1948 to 1954 he represented Pakistan at the UN Security Council, pressing the Kashmir case and speaking for the liberation of Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco and Indonesia — making Pakistan’s voice one of the most recognisable in the early UN.
The Manila Pact and the Western alliances
In September 1954 he represented Pakistan at the Manila Treaty Conference and signed the Manila Pact, committing Pakistan to the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) — the decision that anchored Pakistan’s early Cold War alignment with the West. He resigned the following month, in October 1954, amid sectarian agitation over his Ahmadi faith, and moved to the International Court of Justice.
Legacy
After 1954: The UN and the World Court
His post-Pakistan career made him one of the most decorated international jurists of the 20th century.
| Years | Office | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1954–1961 | Judge, International Court of Justice | Vice-President of the Court, 1958–1961 |
| 1961–1964 | Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN | Pakistan’s ambassador in New York |
| 1962–1964 | President, UN General Assembly | Presided over the Assembly’s 17th and 18th sessions |
| 1964–1973 | Judge, International Court of Justice | President of the Court, 1970–1973 |
He remains the only person in history to have served as President of both the UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice — and the only Pakistani to preside over the World Court. He retired to Lahore, where he died on 1 September 1985 at the age of 92.
Chronology
Life Timeline
The key dates of Sir Zafrullah Khan’s life.
Born in Sialkot
6 February 1893, in Sialkot, Punjab — then British India.
First foreign minister
Joins Pakistan’s first cabinet; becomes the country’s debut foreign minister in December.
Pakistan’s voice at the UN
Represents Pakistan at the UN Security Council; argues Kashmir, Palestine and decolonisation.
Signs the Manila Pact
Commits Pakistan to SEATO in September; resigns as foreign minister in October.
UN General Assembly president
Presides over the UN General Assembly while serving as Pakistan’s UN ambassador.
World Court president
Becomes the first and only Pakistani President of the International Court of Justice.
Death in Lahore
Dies 1 September 1985 in Lahore at the age of 92; remembered as a founding father of Pakistan.
Books and memory
Authored several books on Islam in Urdu and English, including his memoir of the foreign ministry years.
FAQ
First Foreign Minister of Pakistan FAQs
Short answers to the most searched questions.
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More Leadership & Elections Guides
Profiles of the figures who shaped Pakistan — in the Leadership & Elections archive.
Dates and offices in this guide are drawn from Zafrullah Khan’s published memoir, the Pakistan Mission to the UN, and standard biographical references.