Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif ( born December 5, 1949) is a Pakistani steel magnate and national conservative, serving as the 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 until October 12, 1999. He is the President of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, the Centre-right-conservative political force in Pakistan.
Before becoming the Prime minister, Sharif served as the ninth Chief Minister of Punjab Province from 1985 to 1990 and embarked his political career under the military regime of President General Zia-ul-Haq. An advocate and businessman, he owns Ittefaq Group, a private steel mill enterprise and one of the largest producer of iron materials, noted as being as Pakistan's one of the wealthiest investor in the steel mill business. His political philosophy emphasized and reflected conservatism advocating for the free-market economy, capitalism as its economic base. His first term survived a serious constitutional crisis when President Ghulam Ishaq Khan attempted to dismissed Sharif by citing "corruption and nepotism", which Sharif strongly denied and turned to Supreme Court. The apex Supreme Court of Pakistan favored the Prime minister citing that Presidential ordnance as "unconstitutional and irrelevant", therefore the government was reconstituted. His first term was finally dismissed after the Pakistan Armed Forces persuaded him to resign to end the political standoff with President Ishaq Khan, which he too was forced to resigned.
From 1993 until 1996, Sharif served as the Leader of the Opposition. In 1997, he was elected on for a second term by an overwhelming margin after defeating Benazir Bhutto whose government was dismissed on corruption allegations by her own-puppet President Farooq Leghari. During his second term, he notably ordered Pakistan's first nuclear tests (see Chagai-I and Chagai-II) in response to India's second nuclear tests, conducted roughly two weeks ago in May 1998, as part of his Tit for tat policy— a policy he termed and coined shortly. In 1999, Sharif controversially appointed Pervez Musharraf— then lieutenant-general and then-serving commander of the I Strike Corps— as the Chief of Army Staff, promoting him to the 4-star rank after Sharif dismissing General Jehangir Karamat. Sharif later violated the code of conduct of Pakistan Armed Forces when he controversially approved the appointment General Pervez Musharraf to an another prestigious 4-star assignment, elevating the General Musharraf as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.His decision forced Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Fasih Bokhari to resign from the Navy, and received strong criticism for making this political move by the media and the opposition led by Benazir Bhutto.
Despite achieving two-third majority, Sharif's approval rating fell dramatically due to rising unemployment and record foreign debt, which he was unable to control in 1998 after ordering the tests. Problems with Judicial authorities and with Pakistan Armed Forces further escalated after Sharif ordered a complete evacuation of Pakistan Armed Forces from Kargil War, and he was finally ousted in an military coup d'état led by General Musharraf after Nawaz attempted to relieve General Musharraf as Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. He dramatically returned to Pakistan in late 2007 after eight years of forced exile by General Musharraf in a secret contract he claimed that he was forced to sign in. Now in Pakistan, Sharif successfully called for Musharraf's impeachment and the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Before becoming the Prime minister, Sharif served as the ninth Chief Minister of Punjab Province from 1985 to 1990 and embarked his political career under the military regime of President General Zia-ul-Haq. An advocate and businessman, he owns Ittefaq Group, a private steel mill enterprise and one of the largest producer of iron materials, noted as being as Pakistan's one of the wealthiest investor in the steel mill business. His political philosophy emphasized and reflected conservatism advocating for the free-market economy, capitalism as its economic base. His first term survived a serious constitutional crisis when President Ghulam Ishaq Khan attempted to dismissed Sharif by citing "corruption and nepotism", which Sharif strongly denied and turned to Supreme Court. The apex Supreme Court of Pakistan favored the Prime minister citing that Presidential ordnance as "unconstitutional and irrelevant", therefore the government was reconstituted. His first term was finally dismissed after the Pakistan Armed Forces persuaded him to resign to end the political standoff with President Ishaq Khan, which he too was forced to resigned.
From 1993 until 1996, Sharif served as the Leader of the Opposition. In 1997, he was elected on for a second term by an overwhelming margin after defeating Benazir Bhutto whose government was dismissed on corruption allegations by her own-puppet President Farooq Leghari. During his second term, he notably ordered Pakistan's first nuclear tests (see Chagai-I and Chagai-II) in response to India's second nuclear tests, conducted roughly two weeks ago in May 1998, as part of his Tit for tat policy— a policy he termed and coined shortly. In 1999, Sharif controversially appointed Pervez Musharraf— then lieutenant-general and then-serving commander of the I Strike Corps— as the Chief of Army Staff, promoting him to the 4-star rank after Sharif dismissing General Jehangir Karamat. Sharif later violated the code of conduct of Pakistan Armed Forces when he controversially approved the appointment General Pervez Musharraf to an another prestigious 4-star assignment, elevating the General Musharraf as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.His decision forced Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Fasih Bokhari to resign from the Navy, and received strong criticism for making this political move by the media and the opposition led by Benazir Bhutto.
Despite achieving two-third majority, Sharif's approval rating fell dramatically due to rising unemployment and record foreign debt, which he was unable to control in 1998 after ordering the tests. Problems with Judicial authorities and with Pakistan Armed Forces further escalated after Sharif ordered a complete evacuation of Pakistan Armed Forces from Kargil War, and he was finally ousted in an military coup d'état led by General Musharraf after Nawaz attempted to relieve General Musharraf as Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. He dramatically returned to Pakistan in late 2007 after eight years of forced exile by General Musharraf in a secret contract he claimed that he was forced to sign in. Now in Pakistan, Sharif successfully called for Musharraf's impeachment and the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
Early life and education
Nawaz Sharif was born in Ratta, Azad Kashmir administered area of Pakistan on 25 December 1949. His father, Muhammad Sharif, was an upper middle-class businessman and industrialist who had migrated from Amritsar district to Pakistan during the 1947 Indian partition.His family is of Kashmiri-Punjabi origin. His father followed the teachings of the Ahl al-Hadith. His family owns Ittefaq Group, a multimillion dollar steel conglomerate. His brother Shahbaz Sharif is the incumbent Chief Minister of Punjab province while his nephew Hamza Shahbaz Sharif is a member of the National Assembly. And his daughter Maryam Nawaz is also in politics and a leader of his party.
He went to Saint Anthony High School. He graduated from the Government College University, Lahore with an art and business degree and then received a law degree from the University of Punjab. He is married to Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif.
Initial political career
Nawaz Sharif started his political career during the time of nationalization policy of former Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The Sharif family was financially devastated after discoverying that the family business was lost into the hands of the government, and Sharif jumped into national politics soon after. In 1976, Sharif politically motivated himself and joined the Pakistan Muslim League, a conservative front rooted from Punjab Province, initially focused to regain the control of his steel industry from the hands of Bhutto's government. In May 1980 Ghulam Jilani Khan, the recently-appointed Governor of the Punjab Province and a former Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), initiated a search for new urban leaders, and Sharif was one of the men he found and promoted, quickly making him Finance Minister of the Punjab. In 1981, Sharif joined the Punjab Advisory Board under General Zia-ul-Haq and principally rose to public and political prominence as a staunch proponent of the military government of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq during the 1980s.
He maintained close relations with the Zia-ul-Haq, who soon agreed to return to him his private steel mill which was had been lost during the wave of nationalization by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.Nawaz Sharif maintained an alliance with General Rahimuddin Khan, who was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. During his political career, Sharif also had close ties with the Director-General of ISI, Lieutenant-General (retired) Hamid Gul, who played a substantial role in the formation of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad — a conservative political alliance that supported Sharif.
Punjab Advisory Council
In 1981, he initially joined as a member of the Punjab Advisory Council under General Ghulam Jilani Khan, the Governor of the Province.Since his early career, Sharif has been a strong vocal of capitalism and strongly opposed its inverse, the nationalization.In 1980s, Sharif gained influence on General Zia-ul-Haq who had previously agreed to return his steel industry to him, convincing the General to denationalize and deregulate the industries in order to improve the economy. Under the Military government of Lieutenant-General Ghulam Jilani Khan, Sharif was appointed as the provisional finance minister and successfully attempted to denationalize all of the government-owned industries to private sector. As provincial finance minister, he presented development-oriented budgets to the military government. As Finance minister, Sharif gained prominence and fame in Punjab Province which also extended the rule of General Ghulam Jillani, as he improved the law and order situation in Punjab Province. Financial policies drafted and approved by Sharif, who was backed by General Zia, Punjab Province benefited with the better financial capital and purchasing power of Punjab Province's locals were greatly and exponentially improved. Punjab Province having Sharif as Finance minister, received many funds by the federal government than any other provinces of Pakistan, which also contributed in economical inequality between Punjab Province and other provinces. Due to its huge financial capital in 1980s, Punjab Province was Pakistan's richest province and Punjab Province's better standard of living comparing to other provinces.
Chief Minister of Punjab
In 1985 General Ghulam Jilani Khan nominated Sharif as Chief Minister of the Punjab, against the wishes of the new prime minister, Muhammad Khan Junejo, who wanted a rural candidate, Malik Allahyar. Sharif secured the landslide victory during the non-political parties 1985 elections and became Chief Minister of Punjab with the support of the army. He served for two consecutive terms as Chief Minister of Punjab Province, the most populous province of Pakistan. Because of his vast popularity, he received the nickname "Lion of the Punjab". As chief minister, he stressed welfare and development activities and the maintenance of law and order.
The provincial Martial Law Administrator of Punjab Province, Lieutenant-General Ghulam Jilani Khan sponsored the government of Nawaz Sharif, and Sharif built his ties with the senior army generals who would remain supportive and sponsored Sharif's ministerial ship. General Jilani Khan made much headway in beautifying Lahore, extending military infrastructure, and muting political opposition, while Sharif maintained the law and order in the province, expanded the economical infrastructure that not only benefited and also the people of Punjab province.In 1985, General Zia dismissed the government of hand-picked Prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, and called for new elections.However, with all the provisional and the national assemblies were dissolved, General Zia-ul-Haq retained Sharif as the Chief Minister of Punjab Province, and continued Sharif's support until his death and the elections were held in 1988.
1988 elections
Pakistani general election, 1988
After General Zia's death in August 1988, Zia's political party — Pakistan Muslim League (Peer Pagara Group) — split into two factions.Nawaz Sharif led the Zia loyalist Fida Group against the Junejo Group, led by Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo.The Fida Group later took on the mantle of the PML while the Junejo Group became known as the JIP.The two parties along with seven other right-wing conservatives and religious parties united with encouragement and funding from the ISI to form the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI).The alliance was co-led by Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and Sharif to oppose Benazir Bhutto's PPP in the elections.The IJI gained substantial majorities in the Punjab and Sharif was reelected Chief Minister of Punjab.
In December 1989, Sharif decided to remain in the provincial Punjab Assembly rather than hold a seat in the National Assembly.[18] In early 1989, the PPP government failed to unseat Sharif through a no-confidence motion in the Punjab Assembly.Nawaz Sharif retained control by a vote of 152 to 106.
First term as Prime Minister (1990-93)
The conservative forces for the first times in the country's history, came into the power under a democratic system, under the leadership of the Nawaz Sharif.Nawaz Sharif became the 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan on 1 November 1990 as well as he was the head of IJI and succeeded Benazir Bhutto as Prime minister.IJI had been created and funded by the Zia loyalist in the ISI, it received Rs 15 million from the ISI.He campaigned on a conservative platform and vowed to reduce government corruption.He focused on improving the nation's infrastructure and spurred the growth of digital telecommunication.He privatized government banks and opened the door for further industrial privatization, and disbanded Zulfikar Bhutto's policies.He legalized foreign money exchange to be transacted through private money exchangers.His privatization policies were continued by both Benazir Bhutto in mid 1990s and Shaukat Aziz as well in 2000s.
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