Penn alums lead in Pakistan politics

As America debates its own government’s actions, the people of Pakistan are celebrating a triumph of their own democracy — and Penn alumni are there as a part of the process.

Last month, Pakistan held national elections for a new National Assembly and prime minister. This election — the 10th since independence in 1947 — marked the first full completion of one prime minister’s tenure and the first peaceful transition of power in the country’s history.

Nawaz Sharif won the prime ministry in the highest voter turnout since 1977, according to Penn Pakistan Society Vice President and student at the Fels Institute of Government Ahmad Chaudhary. This is not the first time Sharif has come to the country’s leadership, as he served in the same role twice in the 1990s.

In the National Assembly races, Sharif’s party — known as the Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz, also known the PML-N, gained a plurality of the seats, though not a majority.

By Chaudhary’s count, three Penn graduates were elected or re-elected in this year’s elections to the National Assembly: 1986 Wharton School graduate Ahsan Iqbal, 1994 Engineering graduate Muhammad Baligh-Urrehman and 1999 Wharton graduate Moonis Elahi.

1988 Wharton graduate Waleed Iqbal, 1995 College and Wharton graduate Hamid Yar Hiraj and 1990 Wharton doctoral recipient Miftah Ahmad join the group of Penn alumni who have made their mark in Pakistan’s political arena, though none managed to win election this year.

These political leaders rose to power at a time of need for the nation. Prime Minister Sharif himself called the situation facing Pakistan “a jungle of problems,” and others have recognized that he, as a successful industrialist, might help the country’s dire financial straits.

One of the issues currently under debate in Pakistan is the use of U.S. drone strikes in the country — a topic which has also garnered much controversy in America and amongst American-educated leaders in Pakistan. Sharif has condemned them entirely.

Some, however, downplay the relative importance of Penn and American influences in the new government, believing that there are much more important aspets to the elections.

Rosenthal Professor of English Suvir Kaul said in an email, “While I do follow Pakistani politics … I find that tag [of American-educated leaders] of little interest, given all that [was] at stake in this election.”

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