IIUM Confers Honorary Doctorate on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for Leadership and Governance
Kuala Lumpur, The Gulf Observer: The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) on Tuesday conferred an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Governance upon Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in recognition of his exemplary leadership and contributions to nation-building.
The conferment took place during a Special Convocation Ceremony held at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization on IIUM’s Kuala Lumpur campus. The ceremony was officiated by the university’s Constitutional Head, Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently on a three-day official visit to Malaysia at the invitation of his counterpart, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. During the visit, he held delegation-level talks, addressed an investment conference, and discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation.
In his acceptance address, Prime Minister Shehbaz described the conferment as a “great privilege and honor,” expressing deep appreciation for IIUM, which he praised as an institution that upholds the integration of knowledge, faith, and ethics.
Reflecting on his four decades of public service, including his tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his lifelong commitment to serving the people of Pakistan with sincerity and dedication.
“Leadership is a sacred trust that must be exercised with honesty, sincerity, justice, and transparent accountability,” he stated, urging unity, compassion, and adherence to Islamic values and ethics as guiding principles for the Muslim Ummah.
Shehbaz Sharif also underscored the importance of empowering Pakistan’s youth, describing them as “a blessing” and emphasizing the need to equip them with opportunities to serve humanity with empathy and determination.
In her address, Tunku Azizah lauded the Pakistani leader’s decades-long service marked by “visionary leadership, discipline, and compassion,” highlighting his transformative initiatives in education, healthcare, and social development.
“His initiatives, such as the Punjab Education Endowment Fund, have opened the doors of higher learning to thousands who might never have dreamed of university education. That is leadership that touches hearts and transforms futures,” she said.
She further commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s dedication to good governance, describing it as “sincerity, service, and steadfastness” at a time when “the world often prizes image over integrity.”
Tunku Azizah also praised the enduring friendship between Pakistan and Malaysia, noting that bilateral relations had grown stronger under Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership. “This conferment is more than a recognition of achievement. It is a celebration of the values we hold dear — justice, service, and excellence guided by faith,” she remarked.
The ceremony was attended by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, Malaysia’s Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Higher Education Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, IIUM President Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain, IIUM Rector Prof. Emeritus Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar, and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Syed Ahsan Raza Shah.
