Pakistan(National Times)- Najmuddin A Sheikh, former foreign secretary and esteemed expert in international affairs, passed away on Friday morning in Karachi at the age of 85. Sheikh served as Pakistan’s foreign secretary from 1994 to 1997 and was an alumnus of the University of Sindh and the Fletcher School of Law and Dimplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, United States. His nearly four-decade career in the foreign service included ambassadorial roles in Germany, Canada, the US, and Iran, where he adeptly promoted Pakistan’s diplomatic interests. Renowned for his strategic foresight, Shiekh played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s foreign policy and mentoring future diplomats. His unwavering commitment to international cooperation, regional stability, and human rights earned him admiration both nationally and globally, with colleagues praising his integrity professionalism. Beyond his diplomatic service, he served on the Board of Governors of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, and was a founding member of the Sindh Council of Foreign Relations. Following the news of Sheikh’s passing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad extended its deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all those who knew him and worked alongside him.  The late foreign secretary’s funeral prayers were held in DHA after Asr prayers. He was laid to rest at the DHA Phase-VIII graveyard.  Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also expressed grief over Sheikh’s passing and prayed for the departed soul while praising his diplomatic services for the country.