LAHORE: Speakers at a two-day workshop at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) Monday stressed that ethical leadership, clear purpose and institutional resilience were vital for improving governance and shaping Pakistan’s future.
Addressing officers of the 53rd Common Training Programme, NUST Rector Lt-Gen (retd) Dr Zahid Latif said good governance depended on timely and well-planned reforms. He warned that weak governance often led to conflict and instability, while early and thoughtful policymaking produced inclusive and sustainable outcomes.
Dr Latif expressed concern over the weakening role of provinces, saying reduced decentralisation undermined responsive and people-centred governance.
He stressed that governance must be grounded in justice and ethics, noting that the absence of moral values erodes public trust and weakens institutions. He also highlighted the need to build institutional resilience to face economic pressures, social polarisation, geopolitical challenges and climate-related risks.
Calling for a shift in leadership style, Dr Latif urged a move away from command-and-control approaches towards service-oriented and pro-citizen governance. He said morality, accountability and ethical conduct were essential for sustainable leadership and the long-term effectiveness of public institutions.
In another session, General (retd) Zubair Hayat Mahmood delivered a lecture titled “Going Beyond Leadership and Governance”, offering a strategic and reflective view on leadership, reform and national transformation in a rapidly changing world. He said Pakistan’s future lay with its youth, particularly those who act with purpose, courage and the ability to think beyond inherited limitations.
General Zubair emphasised that modern leadership required vision and moral clarity rather than authority alone. He warned that while institutions may retain their formal structures, they often lose their spirit and sense of purpose over time. Without clear intent, he said, reforms remain superficial and fail to bring real change.
He argued that effective leadership was about inspiring people through shared purpose and original thinking. Institutions, he said, overcame stagnation through ethical leadership, strategic clarity and the courage to move beyond old narratives. Pakistan’s development, he added, must be rooted in justice, modern thinking and purposeful statecraft, focusing on reimagining the future rather than returning to the past.
Outlining the idea of “going beyond”, General Zubair identified clarity of purpose, disciplined execution, integrity of systems and adaptability to change as key pillars for progress. He stressed that in an interconnected world, isolated thinking and rigid structures are no longer viable.
Concluding his remarks, he said nations that plan for 2050 and beyond will be better placed to survive and thrive. While skills and technology can be learned, he noted lasting success depended on values, creativity, awareness and a strong sense of purpose.
He urged young leaders to think boldly, act with courage and responsibly modernise institutions to shape Pakistan’s future.
