Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif awarded honorary PhD in leadership and governance by Malaysia’s IIUM

Dubai: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree in Leadership and Governance from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in recognition of his “outstanding leadership and contributions to nation-building.”

The premier, who arrived in Malaysia on October 5 for a three-day official visit, attended the ceremony on Monday at IIUM’s Kuala Lumpur campus, where he described the honour as a “great privilege”, according to Dawn.com.

During the visit, Pakistan and Malaysia also signed six accords and several trade and bilateral agreements.

According to Malaysia’s Bernama news agency, the honorary degree was conferred during a special convocation presided over by Queen of Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, the university’s constitutional head.

Dressed in a blue academic gown, Shehbaz said he was “deeply honoured” to receive the degree from a “great institute of learning” that integrates “knowledge, faith and ethics.”

Reflecting on his four-decade career in public service, Shehbaz said: “For over forty years, I devoted my humble services to the people of Punjab as their public servant, and now, as prime minister, I have tried my best to serve with sincerity and unwavering commitment.” He expressed hope that his visit would “further strengthen academic collaboration between IIUM and Pakistan’s leading universities.”

Shehbaz stressed that leadership was “not a privilege but a sacred trust — an amanah — to be exercised with honesty, justice and accountability before Allah.”

He added that when Muslims upheld these principles, “they not only flourished but became a source of guidance for humanity.”

Addressing the challenges facing the Muslim ummah, including “conflict, poverty and disunity,” the prime minister urged unity guided by “faith, values and ethics” to help reclaim “our lost place in the comity of nations.”

He also praised Malaysia’s young population, saying it was the duty of leaders to “provide them the right platforms to serve suffering humanity with compassion and commitment.” Shehbaz recited verses of Allama Iqbal, expressing his wish for IIUM’s continued success and for “greater unity, brotherhood and close coordination” between Pakistan and Malaysia.

In her remarks, the Pahang queen lauded Shehbaz’s “vision, discipline and compassion,” saying he had shown that “true leadership is not about power but purpose.”

She praised his Punjab Education Endowment Fund, which opened access to higher education for thousands, and recalled Pakistan’s role as an IIUM founding partner.