8 Pakistani student leaders who became leading politicians

Student unions and organisations have produced many politicians who have went on to play an integral part in the country's leading political parties. Many student leaders went on to become their parties' stalwarts and held important portfolios. 

Their loyalties, panache, statements and personalities impacted Pakistani politics and still continue to do so. 

Here is a list of nine student leaders who went on to become leading politicians. 

1. Sheikh Rashid Ahmad

Sheikh Rashid is a household name in Pakistan and has been in politics since the past four decades. He has been elected to parliament eight times from Rawalpindi and has held various portfolios throughout his political career.

Rashid was one of the most prolific student leaders of his time. Rashid studied in Rawalpindi's Gordon College before studying law in Lahore. His student days were involved in activism against then-military dictator General (r) Ayub Khan.

Presently he is the federal minister for railways and a key members of Prime Minister Imran Khan's federal cabinet.

2. Hussain Haqqani

Hussain Haqqani is also as an important student leaders of his time who went on to attain several high profile diplomatic postings, the most prolific among them being Pakistan's ambassador to the United States.

Haqqani was appointed Pakistan's ambassador to the US in 2008 by former President Asif Ali Zardari.

He began his political career as a student activist of the ultra-conservative Jamiat, the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami. He remains an influential figure in Washington and has also served as a high commissioner in Sri Lanka.

3. Javed Hashmi

Pakistani politics' most famous 'Baghi' (rebel) Javed Hashmi was active in student politics from his early 20s. In his biography, Hashmi talks about how he once protested against the government's act of recognising Bangladesh by appearing in front of then-Saudi King Shah Faesal's motorcade in Lahore. The Saudi king was in Pakistan to attend the historic OIC summit.

Hashmi had won many elections during his days as a student of the Punjab University, sometimes with help from the Islami Jamiat Talaba.

He stood up to military dictator General (r) Pervez Musharraf under whose regime Hashmi was imprisoned for making public a controversial letter. He remained president of the PML-N when the Sharifs remained in exile and led the party from the front at a time when many switched loyalties.

In 2011 he joined the PTI but left the party three years later after being dismayed by Imran Khan's 2014 dharna against the Nawaz government.

4. Shehla Raza

Shehla Raza started her political career from the year 1986 by joining the Peoples Student Federation (PSF), the student wing of the PPP. 

Within a short span of three years, she was elected as Joint Secretary of People’s Student Federation (PSF), Karachi University and then elected as Joint Secretary, PPP Women Wing, Karachi Region.

She was elected as a member of the provincial assembly of Sindh in the 2008 and 2013 elections on the reserved seat for women.

Shehla was arrested during the government of Nawaz Sharif when a case was made against her for dual murder and possession of illegal firearms.

She remains one of the PPP's most prominent leaders from Karachi.

5. Raheela Tiwana

She was a prominent leader of the Peoples Student Federation (PSF) who was arrested on charges of illegal arms trafficking during Jam Sadiq Ali’s government in the '90s and tortured.

She later left the PPP and joined Musharraf's allies. She was elected deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly in 2002.

6. Liaqat Baloch

Liaqat Baloch is perhaps one of the most famous student leaders from the Jamaat-e-Islami that became prominent politicians later on.

Born in 1952 in Multan, he was an active student leader in Punjab University. Baloch was elected secretary general and then president of the Students Union, University of Punjab. He was elected president of the Asian Students Association in 1978 for championing the cause of student’s fraternity. 

He has served as member of WAMY (World Assembly of Muslim Youth) and that of IFS (International Federation of Islamic Students Organization).

7. Faisal Sabzwari

Faisal Sabzwari was also an important student leader who became active in politics after student unions were banned by Gen. Zia-ul-Haq.

He was the head of the All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation (APMSO) during his days in Karachi University. Sabzwari is an MQM stalwart and is a graduate of the Preston Institute of Management Sciences and Technology (PIMSAT) and Karachi University.

In the elections of 2002 and 2007, he was elected a member of provincial assembly. He has also served as the provincial minister for youth affairs.

8. Jahangir Badar

Jahangir Badar's association with the PPP spanned four decades from the time he was a student leader till his death in 2016.

As a prominent student leader he was associated with PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Badar was appointed General Secretary of the PPP and was also a provincial president of the party's Punjab chapter. He was elected senator in 1994 and 2009.