Pakistani student Musa Hiraj has been elected President of the Oxford University Student Union, as reported by a private TV channel on Sunday. Musa, the son of former Federal Minister Muhammad Raza Hayat Hiraj, has now joined the ranks of Pakistanis who have led this prestigious institution.
Notably, Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, was the first Pakistani to hold the position in the 20th century. In 2022, Ahmad Nawaz, a survivor of the APS Peshawar attack, became President of the Oxford Union, and in 2024, Israr Khan Kakar was elected.
Israr Khan, born in Gulistan, Kila Abdullah, a remote village in Balochistan on the Pak-Afghan border, shared his humble beginnings with the media. He recalled, “My early education started in a shaky one-room building in my village, a modest start that reflected the broader limitations of our community. However, my life changed dramatically thanks to the unwavering support of my brother, Akhtar Kakar.”
He also reflected on the challenges of growing up in a region affected by tribal rivalries and conflict, where education often took a backseat to issues of identity and ideology.
Ahmad Nawaz, who survived the 2014 APS Peshawar terrorist attack, moved to the UK and later became Oxford Union President in 2022. After taking office, he promised to bring world leaders together to debate pressing global issues and empower youth through the platform.
Musa Hiraj’s election as President of the Oxford Union highlights Pakistan’s growing influence in international academia.
