Harvard Students Launch Groundbreaking Pakistan Conference
Two Pakistani graduate students at Harvard University — Sannan Pervez and Muhammad Hadi — are leading the launch of the Pakistan Conference at Harvard 2025, the university’s first major, student-led summit focused exclusively on Pakistan’s future.
Taking place on 27 April at Harvard’s Cambridge campus, the day-long event brings together academics, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and artists to reframe global conversations around Pakistan — from narratives of crisis to those of resilience, innovation, and culture.
Pervez, a student at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Hadi, pursuing a master’s at the Graduate School of Education, conceived the conference as a platform to reimagine Pakistan’s global image. “What if we told a different story about Pakistan — one grounded in ideas, leadership, and hope?” the duo asked when they began planning.
Months of outreach followed, as they united students from across Harvard and MIT, secured institutional backing, and curated a diverse lineup of speakers from Pakistan and abroad.
The result is a sold-out summit, expected to host over 500 attendees. The program includes high-level panels on US–Pakistan relations, economic reform, education, digital innovation, climate, press freedom, and identity. The aim, organizers say, is not just discussion but connection and long-term collaboration.
“This isn’t just about panels,” Hadi explains. “It’s about reclaiming the narrative and creating a serious, credible space for conversations that matter.”
The speaker list includes prominent names such as Dr Carmen Reinhart, former Chief Economist of the World Bank; Meghan O’Sullivan, Director of the Belfer Center; Ambassador Rizwan Ahmad Shaikh; Miftah Ismail, former Finance Minister; Dr Reza Baqir, former Governor of the State Bank; senior journalist Hamid Mir; Supreme Court lawyer Salman Akram Raja; and artist-activist Momina Mustehsan.
They are joined by a cross-section of academics, civil servants, and entrepreneurs including Dr Ayesha Jalal, Asad Ejaz Butt, Taimur Khan Jhagra, Shahid Ahmed Khan, Dr Erum Sattar, Ziad Bashir, and Shafiq Khan. Panels will be moderated by senior faculty from Harvard, Tufts, and MIT.
Beyond policy, the conference highlights Pakistan’s cultural and artistic heritage. Evening events include a Qawwali performance by the Saami Brothers and a Mushaira led by poet Jawad Sheikh, celebrating Pakistan’s poetic and spiritual traditions.
Organizers also plan to extend the event’s impact beyond April. “We want this to be a launchpad,” Pervez said. “If one attendee leaves ready to build something for Pakistan, we’ve succeeded.”
With international interest growing, the team is developing a virtual access model to reach audiences across Pakistan and the diaspora.
In an era where Pakistan is too often framed through security and political turmoil, the Pakistan Conference at Harvard offers a hopeful counterpoint — a space for forward-thinking, globally engaged leadership, grounded in both intellect and imagination. - Friday Times
