Since 1996, he has been instrumental in leading conceptualization of the University of Central Asia (UCA) and negotiating the International Treaty with Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and His Highness the Aga Khan which founded the University in 2000.  Since 2014, Dr Kassim-Lakha serves as Chairman of the Board of UCA. Concurrently, he served as the Diplomatic Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2014–2022.

During the initial two decades of his career, he served as Managing Director of Industrial Promotion Services of Pakistan under the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development and established a major manufacturing and venture capital conglomerate. 

Dr Kassim-Lakha’s public service has been equally illustrious. From 2007-2008, he served as the Federal Minister of Education and Minister of Science and Technology. As Minister of State, he co-chaired the Taskforce for Reform of Higher Education, whose recommendations resulted in the establishment of the Higher Education Commission (HEC). Following his retirement from AKU, he continued contributing to higher education as a member of the Higher Education Commission (2007–2011 and 2018–2022). 

He led the conceptualisation of the Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy and chaired its Board of Directors for 15 years. He also led the Committee which wrote Pakistan's National Environment Protection Act (1997). His works have been published in renowned journals, including The Lancet and Nature.

Dr Kassim-Lakha has received honorary degrees from McMaster University, Canada and the Aga Khan University. In recognition of his public service, he was awarded Pakistan’s Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, France’s Officer of the National Order of Merit and Medal of Honour from Kyrgyztan.