“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” — Abraham Lincoln.

Had Lincoln studied Pakistan’s political and social landscape, he might have authored several follow-up volumes. Leadership in Pakistan has unfolded against a backdrop of military regimes, democratic experiments, economic whiplash, and a citizenry both sceptical and hopeful. Today, leadership faces a new test: what does power mean when artificial intelligence becomes an inevitability?

Pakistan’s leadership history blends charismatic personalities, institutional tensions, blurred lines of governance, and bursts of entrepreneurial brilliance. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah embodied principled leadership: disciplined, articulate, and dedicated to constitutionalism. His reminder that “With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve” continues to anchor national aspirations. Liaquat Ali Khan demonstrated austerity and integrity as tools........

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