CASS
( President )


Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat (Retd)
Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Kaleem Saadat is President, Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS) and former Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force. During his service of 38 years, he has held operational, command and staff appointments. He has a Masters degree in defence and strategic studies and is also a graduate of the Ecole Superiure de Guerre Inter Armee (ESGI) and Cours Superiure Inter Armee(CSI) at the Ecole Militaire at Paris, France. He was the member of directing staff at Air War College, Pakistan Air Force and Chief Instructor of National Defence Wing of the then National Defence College, now called the NDU, Islamabad. He is now Patron-in-Chief of Thinkers Forum Pakistan , of which he had been President and contributing writer for six years. He has also been the Patron of Pakistan Ex- Servicemen Association. He has keen interest in war, peace, airpower employment and development as well as global security and politics
CASS
( Deputy President )

Air Marshal Aamir Masood
Air Marshal Aamir Masood was commissioned in 1988 as Fighter Pilot in Pakistan Air Force. An accomplished Fighter Pilot having flown various fighter aircrafts on PAF inventory, and a graduate of the coveted Combat Commanders' School. He completed his Staff Course from Indonesia Command & Staff College, National Security and War Course from National Defence University, Islamabad and Masters in Defence Analysis from Naval Postgraduate School, California, USA. During his career spanning over 30 years, he has held various prestigious Command & Staff appointments.
In recognition of his distinguished services, Air Marshal Aamir Masood has been awarded with Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) [Crescent of Excellence (Military)], Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military) [Medal of Excellence (Military)] and Sitara-e-Basalat besides holding various Chief of the Air Staff Commendation Certificates and a Professional Excellence Badge. Presently he is serving as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Training).

EDUCATION
2013 - Master's Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies, NDU Islamabad
2011 - Master's Degree in Defence Analysis, Naval Postgraduate School, USA
2008 - BSc (Honors) in War Studies, Air War College, Faisal
2003 - Command & Staff Course, Indonesia
1986 - BSc in Aviation Sciences, PAF Academy, Risalpur
1984 - FSc in Pre Engineering, PAF College, Sargodha
1982 - Matric, Aitchison College Lahore
Air Marshal Aamir Masood is an avid golfer and polo player.
DIRECTOR
( Foreign Policies )


Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani (Retd)
Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani has 38 years of bilateral and multilateral experience as a career diplomat, having served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Belgium, Luxemburg and the E.U, and Australia. Ambassador Jilani also served as the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, the top civil service official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A specialist in South Asian affairs, Ambassador Jilani has worked as Director General for South Asia and SAARC, Deputy/Acting High Commissioner to India and Director (India) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2018, the Government of Pakistan nominated Ambassador Jilani as member of the Experts and Eminent Persons Group (EEP) of the ASEAN Regional Forum and later in 2019, as member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs. Most recently, Ambassador Jilani has served as a Senior Fellow at both the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
Diplomatic and Professional Experience
May 2019 - Oct 2019 Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow, United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Washington, D.C., USA
Jan 2019 - Present Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, Pakistan
Oct 2018 - Mar 2019 Senior Fellow, The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London, United Kingdom
Jan 2018 - Present Experts & Eminent Persons Group, ASEAN Regional Forum
Dec 2013 - Mar 2017 Ambassador to the United States, Embassy of Pakistan, Washington, D.C., USA
Feb 2012 - Dec 2013 Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, Pakistan
Dec 2009 - Jan 2012 Ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg & the European Union, Embassy of Pakistan, Brussels, Belgium
June 2007- Nov 2009 High Commissioner to Australia, High Commission of Pakistan, Canberra, Australia
Mar 2005 - Mar 2006 Foreign Office Spokesman (concurrently as D.G South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, Pakistan
Feb 2003 - May 2007 Director General, South Asia and SAARC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, Pakistan
June 1999 - Feb 2003 Deputy High Commissioner/High Commissioner to India, High Commission of Pakistan, New Delhi, India
June 1995 - May 1999 Minister, Political Affairs & Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Pakistan, Washington, D.C, USA
May 1992 - May 1995 Director, India, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, Pakistan
Sept 1988 - May 1992 Deputy Secretary, Prime Minister Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan
Sept 1985 - Aug 1988 First Secretary, High Commission of Pakistan, London, U.K
Mar 1983 - Aug 1985 Second Secretary, Embassy of Pakistan, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Sept 1982 - Mar 1983 Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of Pakistan, Sana’a, Yemen
DIRECTOR
( National Security Outlook & Academic Coord )

Air Marshal Waseem ud din (Retd)
Air Marshal (Retd) Waseem ud din is director 'Aerospace and Policy' at Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies Islamabad (CASS). He is a graduate of Combat Commanders School, Turkish Armed Forces Staff College and Royal College of Defense Studies (United Kingdom). He holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs from King's College London. In his 40 years of illustrious career as a fighter pilot with Pakistan Air force, the Air Marshal flew various top of the line fighter aircraft and served in senior command and staff assignments. These include Director General Air force Strategic Command (AFSC), Air Officer Commanding Air Defense Command (ADC), Deputy Chief of Air Staff Administration and Deputy Chief of Staff Operations.
His specialist areas of research include strategic deterrence mechanisms, space, defense and foreign policy formulation. In recognition of his meritorious services, the Air Marshal has been decorated with the distinguished awards of, Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military), Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-i-Basalat.

DIRECTOR
( Strategic Defence & Security )


Air Marshal M. Ashfaque Arain (Retd)
Air Marshal (Retd) M Ashfaque Arain is director 'Strategic Defence and Security' at Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies Islamabad (CASS). He is a graduate of Combat Commanders’ School, PAF Air War College and National Defence Univeristy. He holds a Master's Degree in Defense & Strategic Studies from Air War College (AWC) and a Master's Degree in War Studies from National Defense University (NDU), Islamabad. In his 41 years of illustrious career as a fighter pilot with Pakistan Air force, the Air Marshal flew various top of the line fighter aircraft with a singular honour of being first PAF pilot to achieve 2000 hours on the F-16 aircraft. During his career, he has served in senior command and staff assignments including command of a fighter squadron, an operational base, Air Adviser Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi, Chief Project director Horizon, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations), Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans), Director General Air force Strategic Command (AFSC), Director General Projects, and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Administration).
His specialist areas of research include India-Pakistan relations, strategic defence and security, nuclear deterrence, air power employment, and unconventional warfare. In recognition of his meritorious services, the Air Marshal has been decorated with the distinguished awards of, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military), Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Sitara-i-Basalat.
DIRECTOR
( Technical & Industry )

Air Vice Marshal Sohail Malik (Retd)
Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sohail Ahmad Malik has an extensive record of aviation industry engagement arising from his practitioner experience with the Pakistan Air Force over 36 years. He is a recipient of Professional Excellence Badge, Chief of the Air Staff Commendation Certificates, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Military), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Military), and Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), and is a life-time member of Pakistan Engineering Council. AVM Malik was part of Pakistan's flagship JF-17 Production Project from its initiation to the completion of aircraft production at the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory, of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex; initially as Chief Engineer, later as Deputy Managing Director, and finally as the Managing Director. During his career he advanced through a series of increasingly responsible management positions in PAF. He had worked on various weapon systems in fighter squadrons, and performed engineering assignments at different operational bases. He held the office of Chief Maintenance Officer (CMO) of PAF's largest Engineering Depot, and Chief Engineer of Jet Engine overhauling facility at the Mirage Rebuild Factory.

AVM Malik's aviation-industrial leadership experience includes: directing and controlling large scale engineering projects; planning and development of dynamic and responsive organizational structures; formulating organizational strategies to achieve organizational mission and objectives; developing, directing, and implementing enterprise policies and procedures; and controlling organizational functions including management of budgets, procurements, personnel, and engineering production. In relation to engineering functions, his expertise encompasses: leading broad-based functional teams for maintenance of operational assets and upkeep of equipment and buildings; establishing quality standards and ensuring their conformance on production plants and processes; overseeing, designing, and manufacturing of engineering products, and overseeing compliance of quality standards and specifications; and organizing research and design of products and their modifications. AVM Malik began his career with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in 1978. after graduating from the PAF College of Aeronautical Engineering with a BE (Aerospace) degree, he was commissioned in the Engineering branch of PAF in January, 1982. He retired from the PAF in 2015, and is now Director of the Aviation Industry at CASS.
DIRECTOR
( Economic Affairs & National Development )


Dr. Usman W Chohan
Dr. Usman W. Chohan is an international economist and academic who serves as Director of Economic Affairs and National Development at CASS. He is among the Top 10 Business Authors (out of 12,000 authors) on the Social Science Research Network, which is the largest open repository of knowledge in the world. In the academic realm, his research has been cited widely, as for example in the World Trade Organization, the European Parliament, the National Bureau of Economic Research, IEEE, and the OECD, among many others. He has published two books in the past two years: Public Value & Budgeting: International Perspectives, and Reimagining Public Managers: Delivering Public Value. His third forthcoming book is titled Public Value and the Digital Economy.
DIRECTOR
( International Relations & Security Affairs )

Air Vice Marshal Faheem Ullah Malik (Retd)
Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Faheem Ullah Malik is a Director at Centre of Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) dealing with IR, National and International Security Affairs and Latest Technological Trends. He joined the team of CASS scholars in Feb, 2020; after serving more than 32 years as an active duty Force fighter pilot, retiring as an Air Vice Marshal. A graduate of PAAK, Risalpur in 1987, He holds a Masters in War Studies from the PAF War College and a degree in National Security and War Course from National Defence University. During his career, besides active flying duty in different fighter Sqns on various types of fighter aircraft, plus staff duties at Regional Command / Headquarters; he served for about three years in KSA as Commander of PAF Contingent to Royal Saudi Air Force and almost a year in China. Additionally, he represented PAF at multiple training and professional forums in more than 20 countries in different capacities. He was awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Mily) for his services to the PAF. He has commanded a fighter Squadron, fighter Wing and fighter Base; and his last appointment was Deputy President of prestigious National Defence University, Islamabad. Most recently, he was performing as Advisor to President NDU, before joining CASS

DIRECTOR
( Nuclear & Strategic Affairs )


Syed Muhammad Ali
Syed Muhammad Ali is a well-known international policy analyst. He has rich experience of high-level multilateral and bilateral negotiations on strategic, nuclear and security issues with the US, China and India. His work on foreign, security, nuclear and energy policies has been published and quoted in world's leading think tanks such as the Brookings Institute, CSIS, IISS and RUSI and prestigious publications including Brookings Arms Control & Non-Proliferation Series, Non-Proliferation Review and the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
He has lectured at the world's top policy forums including Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, USA; Brookings Institution, Washington, USA; Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Canberra, Australia; Pugwash Conferences, Italy, IISS, London and Tsinghua University, Beijing. He presented Pakistan’s perspective on energy security before DG IAEA during his Pakistan visit. In addition, he has advised and spoken before Pakistan’s Parliamentary Committees on critical national security issues, drafted several parliamentary resolutions on key foreign and security issues and reviewed the performance of Pakistan’s parliamentary committees. He has authored, edited and co-authored several policy papers, book chapters and books on foreign, security, energy and nuclear policy, strategy and doctrines. He has led, advised, pioneered and served on the board of several think tanks. He also teaches at the National Defence University, Foreign Service Academy, Air War College, Command & Staff College, Quetta and Pakistan Institute of Applied Sciences. He is a frequent analyst on major global and regional affairs on international media including BBC, Voice of America, TRT, Al-Jazeera, Arab News, Press TV, PTV World and several others. Earlier, he has served at PwC, the world's leading consultancy firm and managed Cross Media Ltd, a London-based international media company. He has also served at VOA, Washington and PTV World, Islamabad.