LONDON: Pakistani master’s student Moosa Harraj, son of former federal minister Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj, has been elected Oxford Union president for Michaelmas Term 2025.

Moosa is the fourth Pakistani to be elected to the prestigious position after former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and former presidents Ahmad Nawaz and Israr Khan. He is the first Pakistani-origin president to hail from Punjab.

Harraj fought the tough contest for the world’s most famous debating society and won a decisive mandate of 200 votes over his opponent, Chris Collins, in an election that saw an unprecedentedly high turnout. He received 833 first preferences, one of the highest votes cast for a candidate for president in recent times.

Harraj joined Oxford University in 2023 to pursue his MPhil in Economics at Balliol College, Oxford. He studied at Aitchison College, Lahore before pursuing the rest of his secondary education at Charterhouse School in Surrey.

Having done his undergraduate studies at the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) and Harvard University, Moosa joined the University of Oxford in 2023 to pursue his MPhil in Economics at Balliol College, Oxford.

Speaking to Geo News, Harraj said: “It is a pleasure of a lifetime to have been elected as President of the Oxford Union and 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 that this can show every single student from not only Pakistan but all of South Asia that they too can dream big!”

Harraj’s entire team, named Bridge, swept the officer elections. Katherine Yang secured the Librarian-elect position with 826 first preferences, Pakistani student Raza Nazar won as Treasurer-elect with 878 first preferences, and Jennifer Yang was elected Secretary with 855 first preferences.

Harraj family are considered quite influential in Punjab’s Khanewal area.