Umer was born and raised in Pakistan, and spent his childhood in various parts of the country, including Peshawar, Abbottabad, Quetta and Lahore. Moving from one place to another, his school education was diverse, and so was his exposure to various areas and cultures of Pakistan. His parents finally opted to settle in Lahore, and to call it their home. Umer remained in Lahore for a few years and attended university there. But soon was on the road again after joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan as a career diplomat in 2007. In addition to working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, Umer's diplomatic assignments abroad included two stints at the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations, New York (2010-13) and an assignment at the Embassy of Pakistan, Ankara, Turkey (2016-20). He has also spent some time in France and The Netherlands as part of diplomatic training programmes. No matter where he goes, Umer still considers Lahore his home, and remains as fascinated by its thousand splendours as he was the first time he came to the city as a child. Umer likes to travel and discover new cultures.