His stint as foreign minister played a major role in the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan (1979–89) and he took part in negotiations to end the Contras in Nicaragua (1981–87) on the behalf of the United Nations.

[4] His father, Sir Abdus Samad Khan was an aristocrat and politician who served as chief minister of Rampur, and as British India's representative to the League of Nations.

[5] In his military career he saw action during World War II and served in the North African campaign where he was attached to 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry from April 1942.

[8] He was promoted to colonel in 1953 and went to Paris in France to attend the famed École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr where he graduated in 1954.

[10] As an armored commander, he arranged a course on philosophy on the panzer doctrine to educate the armoured division on the tank battles and strategies.

[13] In 1969–71, he worked together with Admiral Ahsan in advising the Yahya administration in an effort to resolve the situation and restricted strictly the proposal of usage of military force in the province.

"[20] In 1970, he notably coordinated the relief operations when the disastrous cyclone had hit the state and gained prestige for his efforts in the country.

"[19] He lodged a strong protest against the military solution and maintained that the "central government had failed to listen to the voices of their co-citizens in the East.

[24] After seeking the honorable discharge from the army, he joined the foreign service as a career diplomat in 1972, initially taking his first assignment as Pakistan Ambassador to France until 1973.

[25] In 1973, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appointed him as the Pakistan Ambassador to the United States which he served in this capacity until 1979.

[25] Yaqub Ali Khan was brought in to the Zia administration as foreign minister in 1982 when Agha Shahi departed President Zia-ul-Haq's cabinet.

[28] As foreign minister, he directed a proactive and keen pro-Islamic policy and supported the U.S. sponsored clandestine program to arm the Afghan mujahideen against Soviet-sponsored Socialist Afghanistan.

[26] At foreign fronts, he played a crucial role in providing the support for his country's cover and clandestine nuclear development whilst maintaining a strong policy of deliberate ambiguity.

[32] In the 1980s, he provided his diplomatic expertise in resolving the Soviet–Afghan War when he explored the possibility of setting-up the interim system of government under former monarch Zahir Shah but this was not authorized by President Zia-ul-Haq.

[34] About the death and state funeral of President Zia-ul-Haq, Yaqub was earlier warned by Soviet Foreign Minister Edward Shevardnadze that Pakistan's support for the Afghan mujahideen "would not go unpunished.

[36] In 1988–90, he aided Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to reach agreement to sign an arms control treaty with her Indian counterpart Rajiv Gandhi.