Zuhair served as a PA National List MP (1994-2000) during Chandrika Kumaratunga’s tenure as the President. He served as the Chairman of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation from 2004-2005.  Subsequently, he served as Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Iran during the conflict from 2006-2012.

Zuhair played a significant role in arranging an Iranian credit line that helped Sri Lanka to obtain fuel supplies on concessionary terms at a critical stage of the war against the LTTE.