In tracing the historical emergence of the field of global education and its associated educational traditions, this article examines some of the core discussions of global education from the perspective of Pakistan. Specifically, it focuses on debates about whether global education should focus on developing in youth a social justice orientation or the ability to compete globally; it also looks at the role and responsibility of the local in relation to the global, particularly in the context of the Global South. Finally, this article examines questions about the ownership and relevance of global education within a national policy agenda.