Imran is written out as a bright and young Oxford graduate, holding both a master's degree and a doctorate in chemistry.

Although being highly inquisitive and trained in the matters of criminology, Imran is portrayed rather as showing clumsiness at times to hide the fact that he is a spymaster for a special branch of secret service spy operatives, working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Like Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther, this facet of his personality serves also as comic relief throughout the novel series and teems the extreme morbidity and ruthlessness espionage with decent humour.

However, Imran's father, Mr. Fazal Rahman (who was also the director general of the Intelligence Bureau's detective unit), chose an American missionary school for his early education.

The contradictory teachings of his mother and his school transformed Imran's personality in such a twisted manner that after getting initially confused, he started ridiculing almost everything.

After completing high school, Imran was sent to London to live with one of Mr. Rahman's English friends, who was a police officer.

4), Imran dealt with a mysterious smuggler of Shadab Nagar in his own style, which was dismissed by Mr. Rahman as a "non-detective, scoundrelly approach".

Sir Sultan, who was a secretary in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a friend of Mr. Rahman, used to highly acknowledge Imran's abilities, and once requested for his aid in getting rid of a blackmailer.

However, as X-2, he is feared by the same Secret Service members, who do not know the identity of their chief officer, and have only heard his voice over the telephone or a transmitting device.

In the books, Ali Imran has frequently been described as young, good looking and having a strong, athletic body, but also with a perpetual demeanor of foolishness showing constantly on his face.

For example, Imran may wear a pink coat, with a light green shirt, a yellow necktie, white pants, and a purple flat hat with a red rose in it.

Imran possesses a sharp wit, which when combined with his intelligence and foolish sense of humour, often leads to interesting conversations.

He is mostly unmoved by the charms of the fairer sex (just like Colonel Faridi), but has been shown to develop some affectionate feelings of friendship towards some of the women he had encountered, notably, Roshi and Mariana (during the Ad Lava series).

Juliana Fitzwater, the only female member of Secret Service, has shown romantic feelings towards Imran on numerous occasions.

However, being an extremely beautiful woman, Theresia once made Imran "aware of the existence of the most delicate portions of his mind" when she appeared before him without any disguise and makeup.

Otherwise she only appeared without makeup in Kalay Chiragh where Ali Imran when saw, instantly recognized her as Theresia Bumble Bee of Bohemia.

At times, Imran had also dropped his comical nature and acted in a cold and serious manner, intimidating other Secret Service members to an extent that they followed his lead silently without any objection.

Imran is also proficient in the Sing Art, the technique of literally dodging bullets by judging the hand movements of the attacker, and moving sharply.