For nearly 35 years, I was a member of the Pakistan Administrative Service, the premier and top branch of Pakistani civil services. In August 2018, I retired from the most prestigious assignments in the Government of Pakistan: Secretary of the Cabinet Division. Previously, I headed the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and for almost two years was the longest serving Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change. I am a committed environmentalist. I hold several master’s degrees including those in public administration from University of Hawai’i and another in defence and strategic studies from the National Defence University, Islamabad. In 2019, I was awarded one of the highest civil awards for public service by the President of Pakistan the Sitara-i-Imtiaz.

I have been traveling since childhood. I first reached the US at the age of eight - and I have the passport / visa to prove it. I did all the six continents (except Antartica, of course) in eight months of 2016. In August 2023 I did an overland trip to Europe, mostly using public transport.

Что привело меня на Couchsurfing

As soon as is possible after the Covid, I would like to travel as much as possible, now that I am retired and free of my obligations

Интересы

• travel
• meet people
• write

Музыка, кино и книги

Movies: these are so numerous I cannot remember so many but I really recall One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Around the world in 80 Days; Avatar, Shawshank Redemption, etc.
Books: The Ascent of Man

Классная вещь, которую я сделал(-а)

Visited all six continents in just one year - 2016 (March: Peru; June: China and USA; July Rwanda, Austria, November: Australia, Morocco)

Учу, учусь, делюсь опытом и информацией

I can teach English, my native language Urdu
I'd like to learn Arabic
I can share insights into a life lived well

Чем я могу поделиться с хостами

My versatile knowledge of Pakistan, Islam, the countries I have visited, climate change, public administration, international relations. Tips on writing, photography, etc.

Где я побывал(-а)

Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Yemen

Где я жил(-а)

Japan, Saudi Arabia, United States