The new PCB president is a member of the MCC

He replaces retired general Tauqir Zia, who resigned last week after four years in the job.

The appointment has been sanctioned by national president Pervez Musharraf, who is patron of Pakistan Cricket.

Khan is the nephew and cousin of the two Nawabs of Pataudi, who both played Test cricket for India and captained the national team.

The 69-year-old, who studied at Cambridge University and in the USA before beginning his diplomatic career, was manager of the Pakistan team at the World Cup earlier this year.

Khan takes over after a rocky period which saw the PCB incur large financial losses following a bomb explosion in Karachi last year.

It led to New Zealand cutting short a tour, and Test series against Australia and the West Indies having to be played at neutral venues.

He understands the players well and he has the passion for cricket which will certainly make him a successful administrator Tauqir Zia

Tours have now resumed, with Bangladesh, South Africa and New Zealand visiting the country in recent months.

And Pakistan are set to play host to a Test series against arch-rivals India for the first time since 1989-90 next March.

Zia, meanwhile, admitted that controversy over the selection of his son Junaid for the national team had been a factor in his decision to step down.

All-rounder Junaid was selected for the one-day series against New Zealand which ended last weekend, and then dropped at his own request.

"My son is sensitive and he was also under tremendous pressure. Now it's his luck whether he plays international cricket or not," he added.