LONDON: Ahmad Nawaz, a survivor of the 2014 Army Public School massacre, has assumed charge as the president of Oxford University’s prestigious debating society Oxford Union.

He was elected to the post earlier this year on March 6. “Immensely proud to have finally assumed my duties as President of Oxford Union,” Nawaz tweeted as he assumed charge of the prestigious debating society.

He said that he aims to gather world leaders on this platform to debate the most pressing issues, to empower youth and uphold freedom of speech, saying +there is still “a long way to go.”

Immensely proud to have finally assumed my duties as the President of @OxfordUnion 📖

In my time as President, I look forward to having world leaders debate the most pressing issues, empowering young people through this platform & upholding freedom of speech!

A long way to go… pic.twitter.com/a0C1uYJJNk

— Ahmad Nawaz (@Ahmadnawazaps) June 21, 2022

President Dr Arif Alvi congratulated Ahmad Nawaz on being elected as President of Oxford Union.

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The president on his Twitter handle said that youth were the biggest hope of Pakistan. “We must register that despite all setbacks Pakistan will keep on shining and rising,” President Alvi said.

Despite all setbacks, Pakistan would keep on shining and rising, he added.

Our biggest hope are youth of Pakistan. I congratulate Ahmad Nawaz, an APS survivor who also lost his brother Harris in the heinous Peshawar massacre, on being elected as President of Oxford Union. We must register that despite all setbacks Pakistan will keep on shining & rising. pic.twitter.com/WSwuYTdrjT

— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) June 26, 2022

Ahmad Nawaz had lost his brother Harris in the heinous Peshawar terrorist attack on 16 December, 2014 along with other students and members of the teaching staff.

However, the 20-year-old never let the attack stop him from pursuing his studies. In 2020 he earned a place at Oxford University to study Philosophy and Theology at Lady Margaret Hall.

Apart from studying at Oxford, Nawaz is a human rights campaigner. He dedicates much of his spare time to his campaign for education and peace, visiting schools to talk about his experience and to encourage anti-terrorism and anti-radicalization in children.