ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s academic world may one day have an entirely new subject to study, the governance model of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, at least if the predictions of his Special Assistant Huzaifa Rehman prove correct.
Huzaifa made a series of bizarre remarks lately that left political observers amused and university researchers wondering what their next thesis might look like. He now suggested that future generations could do PhDs on PM Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership and administrative model. The prime minister’s aide made enthusiastic assessment of his boss’s intelligence, work ethic and political capabilities, even drawing parallels with some of history’s greatest scientific minds.
According to Rehman, there is broad agreement among bureaucrats that Shehbaz Sharif possesses exceptional intelligence and administrative talent. He went a step further, claiming that even former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan privately acknowledged Shehbaz Sharif’s intellectual abilities.
Rehman alleged that Khan was so concerned about Shehbaz Sharif’s political capabilities that he sought to prevent him from returning to parliament.
He said legendary scientists Einstein and Isaac Newton to explain why, in his view, intelligent people are not always appreciated during their lifetimes. He argued that developing societies frequently fail to recognise exceptional minds, sometimes dismissing intelligent individuals as foolish. He claimed that Einstein and Newton had also faced such judgments before their scientific achievements gained recognition.
The comparison effectively placed Shehbaz Sharif’s governance abilities in a discussion featuring two of the world’s most celebrated scientists, although Rehman later clarified that his remarks were not based on any scientific assessment.
Whether universities will eventually introduce a research programme dedicated to the prime minister’s administrative methods remains an open question. For now, the prediction has come from one of his own aides rather than the academic community.
Rehman calls prime minister as a leader whose demanding work schedule sets him apart from his cabinet colleagues. He claimed that not a single minister matches Shehbaz Sharif’s level of effort, arguing that the prime minister’s personal commitment explains why he expects equally demanding standards from his cabinet.
