A native of Lahore, Qureshi subsequently attended the Punjab University to study chemistry where he graduated with BSc in chemistry. For his higher studies, he went to United Kingdom to attend Imperial College London. He earned MSc in Chemical Technology and worked towards gaining the DIC in physical metallurgy. At the Imperial College, he joined the doctoral group led by Thomas West and David Craig. He earned his PhD in physical chemistry under the supervision of David Craig, writing his thesis on Physico-chemical studies of the vapour deposition of AlO, in 1972.