Lahore, 12th October 2024 — Following the “National Dialogue on Pakistan’s Permacrisis” event held yesterday at the Governor House Lahore, Oxford Alumni Pakistan announced their opposition to the use of Oxford’s name for political gains.
The Oxford Alumni Community of Pakistan is conducting a National Dialogue on Pakistan’s Permacrisis, an initiative that has so far been held in Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore. These dialogues have been attended by a diverse group of participants, including members of political parties, parliamentarians, academia, civil society, the armed forces, journalists, the judiciary, bureaucracy, religious leaders, youth and business community from across Pakistan.
The participation of representatives from all political parties highlights our commitment to ensuring that the discussions remain focused on national issues, not partisan politics. The National Dialogue focuses on solutions to the pressing issues faced by the nation and we strategically remain passive on political matters.
Regarding the concerning media reports, we categorically deny any claim suggesting that as a forum, we support or oppose any specific candidate in the Chancellor Elections. We have not issued any statements endorsing any candidate. The statements circulating in the media are not representative of our collective voice and we emphasise that no such public endorsements or oppositions have been made concerning any candidate
We believe that the University of Oxford, with its centuries old tradition of excellence, has well established systems in place to manage the Chancellor Elections impartially, in accordance with its rules and regulations.
The Oxford Alumni Community of Pakistan comprises individuals from diverse backgrounds and political ideologies. The decision to vote in the Chancellor Elections is a matter for Oxford’s current students, registered and eligible alumni and faculty members, and falls beyond the scope of the National Dialogue team and its mission.
As proud alumni of this esteemed institution, we believe that the university remains a place where intellectual rigour and values prosper and we want to infuse that into Pakistan. We have confidence that the University of Oxford will manage the Chancellor Election process with fairness, independence, integrity and in adherence to its guiding principles.
We remain committed to upholding the values that University of Oxford represents and we ask to respect the impartiality of this prestigious institution and its alumni forums.
Statement approved by members of the National Dialogue by Oxford Alumni Community of Pakistan
