Munir Akram

Munir Akram (Urdu: منير اکرم‎) (born 2 December 1945) is a Pakistani diplomat who is appointed as the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations. Earlier, he held the post from 2002 to 2008, during which he also served two terms as President of the United Nations Security Council. On 23 July 2020, Munir Akram was elected President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.[1]

Munir Akram
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations
Assumed office
1 November 2019
PresidentArif Alvi
Prime MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byMaleeha Lodhi
In office
28 May 2002 – 26 July 2008
PresidentPervez Musharraf
Preceded byShamshad Ahmad
Succeeded byHussain Haroon
76th President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council
Assumed office
23 July 2020
Preceded byMona Juul
Personal details
Born (1945-02-14) 14 February 1945
Karachi, Pakistan
Alma materUniversity of Karachi
OccupationDiplomat

Career

Akram did his Bachelors in law from University of Karachi, before doing a Masters in political science from the same institution. He cleared the elite Central Superior Services examinations in 1968 to join public service. After mandatory training, he formally joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1969, with his first posting being the second secretary to Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Later, besides holding various positions at the foreign ministry, he served on several important diplomatic missions, including as Pakistan's ambassador to Japan (1982-85) and the European Union (1988-92).[2]

He was appointed as the Permanent Representative of the country to UNO's Geneva office from 1995 to 2002,[3] before holding the same post in New York, where he served till 2008.[4] He had reached superannuation in 2005, but was hired again on an extension contract.[5] He was dismissed by the newly elected president Asif Ali Zardari in 2008 because of his disagreement over presenting the case of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto to the United Nations.[6] He also served as President of the Security Council for one term each in 2002 and 2004.

On September 30, 2019, he was reappointed as Pakistan's permanent representative to UNO's headquarters in New York.[7]

Akram is also a regular columnist for Pakistan's leading English daily, Dawn.[8]

Charges of assault

In 2003, Akram's then live-in girlfriend, Marijana Mihic, called the Police to report Akram for violent assault against her.[9] Her report included charges of previous incidents of violence.[10] While the New York Police Department did not arrest Munir Akram owing to his diplomatic immunity, the case was pursued by New York County District Attorney Robert Morgenthau with the backing of Majorie Tiven, sister of then Mayor Michael Bloomberg.[11] However, a month later, in February 2003, the DA's office dropped the investigation.[12]

Affiliations

Akram is an advisory board member of the Counter Extremism Project.[13] He is also a former board member of Allis-Chalmers Energy—serving at the company between September 2008 and June 2009.[14]

References
  1. "President of ECOSOC". Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  2. "Munir Akram's Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Pakistan's Mission to the United Nations. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  3. "New Permanent Representative of Pakistan Presents Credentials". www.un.org. 28 May 2002. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  4. "Pak UN envoy Munir Akram leaving post". The Nation. 26 July 2008. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  5. Estacode (PDF). Establishment Division, Government of Pakistan. 2015. pp. 533–535. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  6. "INSIGHT: Axing Amb Munir Akram – Ejaz Haider". Archives of Daily Times (newspaper). 27 July 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  7. Siddiqui, Naveed (30 September 2019). "In major reshuffle, Munir Akram to replace Maleeha Lodhi as Pakistan's envoy to UN". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  8. "Opinion Pieces by Munir Akram". Dawn.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  9. "Pakistan ambassador in assault row". CNN.com/world. 8 January 2003. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  10. "U.S. Asks Pakistan to Lift U.N. Envoy's Immunity After a Violent Quarrel". The New York Times. 8 January 2003. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  11. Sirohi, Seema; Mir, Amir (27 January 2003). "Sex, Rhetoric And Diplomatic Impunity". Outlook. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  12. "Investigation against Akram dropped". DAWN.COM. 5 February 2003. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  13. "Leadership". Counter Extremism Project. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  14. "Munir Akram - Profile". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Shamshad Ahmad		 Pakistan Ambassador to the United Nations
2002–2008		 Succeeded by
Hussain Haroon
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