Sohail, 47, who played 47 Tests and 156 one-day internationals, was also chief selector in 2003-04 before stepping down for personal reasons.
"I have been given two major tasks, and I will try to do my best to work with the captains of all three formats to further improve the performance of our national teams," Sohail told a press conference on Tuesday.
"Obviously my prime concern is to not only unearth and groom new talent but also to prepare a strong squad for the 2015 World Cup," the former test opener added.
Pakistan cricket has been without a chief selector for the past two months because of a court decision that prevented former chairman of the board Najam Sethi from taking long-term decisions.
Sohail's appointment comes after the Islamabad High Court reinstated Zaka Ashraf as the chairman of the board in place of Sethi last month.
(Editing by Stephen Wood) nL3N0L93QX
