LONDON: In a historic first, Israr Kakar, a student from Baloc­hi­stan, has been elected as president of the Oxford Union.

He is the third Pakistani and first from Balochistan to hold this prestigious position. The Oxford Union, founded in 1823, is one of the oldest and most esteemed debating societies in the world.

Mr Kakar hails from a small village in the Qila Abdullah district.

Currently, he is enrolled in the DPhil programme at Oxford’s Law Department.

Notably, Mr Kakar’s elder brother was also a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, making him the second in his family to attend college.

Elected on Saturday, Mr Kakar in an interview with Geo News said.

“I am incredibly grateful to the members of the Oxford Union for placing their trust in me. This achievement will inspire the next generation of aspiring young people from humble backgrounds,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Token austerity
11 Mar, 2026

Token austerity

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of ‘austerity’ measures in response to the fuel crisis triggered...
Lebanon on fire
11 Mar, 2026

Lebanon on fire

WHILE the entire Gulf region has become an active warzone, repercussions of this conflict have spread to the...
Canine crisis
11 Mar, 2026

Canine crisis

KARACHI’S stray dog crisis requires urgent attention. Feral canines can cause serious and lasting physical and...
Iran’s new leader
Updated 10 Mar, 2026

Iran’s new leader

The position is the most powerful in Iran, bringing together clerical authority and political and ideological leadership.
National priorities
10 Mar, 2026

National priorities

EVEN as the country faces heightened risks of attacks from actual terrorists, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi...
Silenced march
10 Mar, 2026

Silenced march

ON the eve of International Women’s Day, Islamabad Police detained dozens of Aurat March activists who had ...