Seeking prophetic leadership: varsities must lead the way |
Pakistan today stands at a defining crossroads. Across politics, governance, business and civil society, ambition is abundant, talent is visible and youthful energy is unmistakable. Yet what remains in critically short supply is ethical leadership that is anchored in character, integrity, humility and a commitment to public service. Where these moral foundations are absent, competence loses its purpose and authority quietly turns into entitlement.
If Pakistan is to alter its long-term trajectory, we must confront a fundamental truth: leaders are not born overnight; they are trained over time. And, that training does not happen in parliaments, ministries or corporate boardrooms, where habits are already formed. It begins much earlier, in our classrooms and campuses, in what we teach, what we value and whom we elevate as role models. Our educational institutions are therefore not merely places of learning; they are the incubators in which the nation's future leadership takes shape.
Universities therefore are moral ecosystems where values are absorbed, habits are formed and early ideas about leadership quietly take root. The students who lead today - on campuses and in communities - will, in time, become teachers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and social reformers. How they learn to disagree, how they shoulder responsibility and how they respond to setbacks during these formative years will profoundly shape how they lead institutions and society in........