User:Kautilya3/A. S. B. Shah

Colonel Agha Syed Bad Shah OBE, often referred to as A. S. B. Shah, was a Pakistani civil servant and diplomat. After the partition of India, he served as a Deputy Secretary in Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in charge of the princely states of Pakistan. He was instrumental in bringing about the accession of several princely states. Considered a "legendary" official of Pakistan, he later served as the Secretary of States and Frontier Regions and as Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan and Egypt.

Life and career
A. S. B. Shah was from a Hindko-speaking Syed family of Peshawar.

Shah started his career in the British Indian Army in 1923 as a King's Commissioned Indian Officer. He was placed in the 1/14 Punjab Regiment. In 1930, Shah moved to the Indian Political Service. His military rank at that time was perhaps Major.

During 1937–1938, Shah worked on the staff of Sir Olaf Caroe, the Chief Commissioner of the Baluchistan Agency, where he is said to have become one of closest confidants of the latter.

During the World War II, as Caroe was appointed as the Foreign Secretry to the Government of India and a member of the Viceroy's Study Group, Shah served a key member of his staff, along with K. P. S. Menon. Shah proposed 50 percent "Indianization" of the Foreign Department, anticipating that a transfer of power would soon follow the end of the World War. The proposal received the endorsement of Caroe and the Viceroy's Study Group, resulting in an increased participation of Indian officials in the foreign affairs and diplomatic positions, especially in the Dominions. Shah was sent on a tour of the United States, serving as Government of India representative in the British embassy, along with Girija Shankar Bajpai. He was also included in the British Legation in Kabul. At this time, Shah was also active in the Indian Institute of International Affairs, serving as its honourary secretary.