• Says he listens to criticism, but doesn’t take it to heart
• If you want to be a leader, speak the truth, Youth Conference told
• Education instils a sense of protection, says Sardar Shah
KARACHI: The first session on the second day of the three-day conference organised by the Sports and Youth Affairs Department at the Sindh Youth Club on Saturday morning having the theme ‘Challenges for 21st century youth and way forward’ focused on the important subject of leadership.
Moderated by Eesha Zubair, the speakers included Waqar Ali, CEO School of Leadership and the mayor of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab.
On the definition of leadership, Mr Ali said it’s not a skill. “It involves aspects such as moral compass, ethics, humanity and character. There’s a difference between a leader and a boss. A leader speaks the truth, speaks the truth to himself and stays away from hypocrisy.”
Mr Wahab said he agreed with what Mr Ali said and argued that the world was changing at a rapid pace; there’s no particular definition of leadership.
“You define things by virtue of your character and actions. Leadership is not about being a boss or a minister or a mayor. Anyone can be a leader. If a parent is making good decisions, if you are making sound decisions among your friends, then you establish with your character and actions what leadership actually means.”
The mayor reemphasised that the world is changing. “Generally senior persons with grey hair are thought of as leaders, but now that’s not the case. My party’s leader is a young man, and I also consider myself as young. Therefore, leader is someone who through his character can make us understand the solutions to people’s problems.”
In response to a question, Mr Ali gave the example of the arrangements made for the moot at the Sindh Youth Club in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
He said the organisational elements for the conference could be seen (the venue, the stage, the PA system, etc) but the hard work that went behind such a preparation was not visible.
He told the audience, which largely comprised of youngsters, that in 2019 he was leading a team of 50 individuals. Then Covid came and disrupted life. It was at the time the biggest challenge for everyone. During the period, he realised that it’s not the action that counted. “Whatever happens, happens because of your intentions. My biggest challenge was to keep making the effort.”
Mr Wahab said these days, glamour has become part of politics. Every evening at 7pm or 8pm, people don’t watch showbiz celebs but see and hear politicians. It has enabled the people to raise questions. But glamour also has a downside. “Kahin na kahin hamarey mulk mein na umeedi bechi jati hai, (hopelessness is sold in our country). Bad things are pointed out, suggesting the glass is half empty. The glass is not half empty. It makes the young generation think that there’s not much left for them in society, so let’s go abroad. I personally believe that Pakistan is a country of 25 crore people. All of them can’t leave the country. Even those who go abroad, keep talking about Pakistan. Instead of finding the easy way out, why can’t we think that it’s our city, our province, our country… we should take its ownership. I see young boys and girls sitting here. We speak about our rights. But how many of us know that ‘every right has a corresponding duty’?”
Replying to another question on how he takes criticism, the mayor said, he hears it from one ear and takes it out from the other.
Session on education
Another session focused on “Gaps in the Education System” had Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah, journalist Wusatullah Khan, writer Jami Chandio, and Executive Director of Indus Resource Centre Sadiqa Salahuddin as panellists.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shah said: “Education instils a sense of protection. We want to make education a source of security for everyone. When our youth feel secure, only then will they rise above all forms of discrimination and care for the protection of others as well.”
Highlighting the challenges faced by the education sector, he said: “The root cause of these issues lies in the outdated policies of the state, where education was never truly prioritised. During the pro-democracy movements, there were deliberate attempts to destroy Sindh’s education system. Even today, we are fighting for constitutional rights. At the provincial level, 92% of the education budget is spent on salaries and operations, while only 2% is allocated for developmental schemes in Sindh. As a minister, I have never hidden our shortcomings. We all need to play our part at the societal level.”
Sadiqa Salahuddin said: “In Sindh, daughters are well-protected, and there’s no discrimination in education between sons and daughters. However, the sense of protection needs to be further promoted. Parents want to educate their children, and better results can be achieved by minimising resource misuse and ensuring accountability.”
Jami Chandio said: “The state reduced education to mere knowledge centres, discouraging critical thinking. This led to the rise of religious extremism and the decline of analytical reasoning. Teachers’ training is crucial, and it’s time to move beyond traditional teaching methods. Parents often desire good grades but not good character. In the 21st century, education itself is security. We talk about a security state, yet we are the most insecure ourselves.”
Wusatullah Khan said: “With the growing population, we must consider how to provide a better, secure future for the next generation. If we don’t guide children properly from the start, they could be easily exploited for others’ interests. This requires serious thought.”
The subject of another session lined up for the day was ‘Media: the mind maker’ with Sarmad Khoosat and Sania Saeed on the list of speakers.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2025
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.