Pakistani student Moosa Harraj elected Oxford Union President for 2025

Pakistani MPhil Economics student Moosa Harraj has been elected President of the Oxford Union for Michaelmas Term 2025, marking a historic moment as the first Pakistani-origin president from Punjab.

Hailing from an influential political family in Khanewal, Punjab, Moosa is the son of former federal minister Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj.

He becomes the fourth Pakistani to hold the prestigious position, following Benazir Bhutto, Ahmad Nawaz, and Israr Khan.

In a highly contested election, Moosa secured a decisive 200-vote victory over opponent Chris Collins, receiving 833 first-preference votes—one of the highest in recent years.

His entire ‘Bridge’ team swept the elections, with Raza Nazar (Treasurer-elect), Katherine Yang (Librarian-elect), and Jennifer Yang (Secretary-elect) winning key positions.

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Moosa completed his early education at Aitchison College, Lahore, before continuing at Charterhouse School in Surrey.

He later pursued his undergraduate studies at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Harvard University before joining Balliol College, Oxford, in 2023 for his MPhil in Economics.

Moosa expressed gratitude for his election, stating:

"It is a pleasure of a lifetime to have been elected as President of the Oxford Union. I want to thank first and foremost Allah Almighty for this achievement. It’s a privilege to have the members place their trust in me. I hope this can show every single student from not only Pakistan but all of South Asia that they too can dream big!"

His victory is seen as a major milestone for Pakistani representation on global academic platforms.