Israr Kakar, a student from Pakistan, recently made headlines by winning the presidency of the Oxford University Union. He secured victory with 617 votes, defeating his rival Izzy Horrocks Taylor, who garnered 393 votes.
Kakar attributes his success to his upbringing in a remote village in Balochistan, on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Expressing gratitude to the Oxford Union members and his team for their trust in him, Kakar tweeted about his astonishment at his achievement.
Kakar’s election marks the third instance of a Pakistani student winning the presidency of the Oxford University Union. The first was former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 1977.
Izzy Horrocks Taylor, Kakar’s competitor in the election, currently serves as the Vice-President of the Oxford Union Society. Taylor is an undergraduate student at the University of Oxford, studying Classics at Balliol College from 2022 to 2026. They previously held the position of Head Girl and Scholar at Oundle School from 2015 to 2022. Taylor is also interested in pursuing a career in Law, aiming for a Law conversion, and is seeking internships and work experience during university breaks.
