Shehbaz Sharif

Early political career

Sharif began his political career after getting elected to the Punjab Assembly from Constituency PP-122 (Lahore-VII) as a candidate of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) in the 1988 general election. He had 22,372 votes and defeated a candidate of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). However, his term prematurely ended in 1990 when the assemblies were dissolved.

He was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of Punjab from Constituency PP-124 (Lahore-IX) as an IJI candidate in the 1990 general election. He received 26,408 votes and defeated a candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDA). In the same election, he was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Constituency NA-96 (Lahore-V) as a candidate of IJI. He secured 54,506 votes and defeated Jehangir Bader. He vacated the Punjab Assembly seat to retain his National Assembly seat. His term prematurely ended in 1993 when the assemblies were dissolved.

In April 1993, the widow of Chief of Army Staff General Asif Nawaz Janjua, alleged that Brigadier Imtiaz Ahmed, head of the Intelligence Bureau, Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, and Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan had planned to eliminate her husband.

He was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly from Constituency PP-125 (Lahore-X) as a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)), a new party founded by his brother, Nawaz, in the 1993 general election. He received 28,068 votes and defeated a candidate of PPP. In the same election, he was re-elected to the National Assembly from Constituency NA-96 (Lahore-V) as a candidate of the PML(N). He secured 55,867 votes and defeated Yousuf Salahuddin. He vacated the National Assembly seat and retained his Provincial Punjab Assembly seat. Shortly after the election, he was elected Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. During his tenure as Leader of the Opposition, he travelled to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. In his absence, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was made Acting Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. His term as a member of the Punjab Assembly and Leader of the Opposition prematurely ended in November 1996 when the assemblies were dissolved.

Chief Minister of Punjab (1997–1999) and exile

Sharif was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly from Constituency PP-125 (Lahore-X) as a candidate of the PML(N) in the 1997 Punjab provincial election. He received 25,013 votes and defeated a candidate of PPP. In the same election, he was re-elected to the National Assembly from Constituency NA-96 (Lahore-V) as a candidate of PML(N). He secured 47,614 votes and defeated Hanif Ramay. He was elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab for the first time and was sworn in as 13th Chief Minister of Punjab on 20 February 1997.

Sharif focused on healthcare, education, agriculture and the promotion of industry in Punjab. He undertook several development projects in Lahore and launched a crackdown on criminals across the province to maintain law and order. Sharif introduced a series of educational reforms such as reformed exams in a variety of subjects, as well as self-finance schemes for students.

He held his office until 12 October 1999, when he was removed from the post of Chief Minister in the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état.

In 1999, a complainant, Saeeduddin, lodged a first information report and accused Sharif of allowing the Punjab Police, as chief minister, to kill his son along with other men in a fake encounter. In the encounter, his two sons and three other people were killed by the police. Following the coup Sharif was imprisoned. In December 2000, he, along with his immediate family members, struck a deal with Pervez Musharraf negotiated by the Saudi royal family and went into exile in Saudi Arabia.

While in exile in Saudi Arabia, Sharif was elected as the PML(N) President in August 2002 and moved to the United Kingdom in 2003 for medical treatment.

In 2003, an anti-terrorism court summoned Sharif and five others accused in alleged extrajudicial killings in 1998. He was in the exile at that time and failed to show-up to the court. Later, the court issued an arrest warrant for Sharif. In 2004, Sharif attempted to return to Pakistan to appear before the court, but was forcibly deported back to Saudi Arabia.

In August 2007, the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave its verdict which allowed the Sharif and Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan. In September 2007, an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan ordered police to arrest Sharif based on a 2003 arrest warrant. He later received bail from an anti-terrorism court. Sharif denied ordering the alleged killings and said the charges against him were politically motivated. He further added that in 2004, he had landed at Lahore Airport, wanting to appear before the court, but was sent back to Saudi Arabia by the government in violation of the orders of the Supreme Court. In 2008, he was acquitted by the Anti-Terrorism Court in the Sabzazar case.

Sharif was re-elected as PML(N) President for a second term in August 2006 and returned to Pakistan along with Nawaz Sharif in November 2007.

Sharif was ineligible to take part in the 2008 general election due to the Sabzazar case, but a few months later he was acquitted by the court.

On 14 July 2019, the Daily Mail published a news with the headline: "Did the family of Pakistani politician who has become the poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims?" According to the report, Shehbaz stole aid funds from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) following the 2005 earthquake. It was written by Daily Mail journalist David Rose. Investigations have shown that the donated more than £500 million to the earthquake victims in Pakistan through the DFID, a UK government organisation.

David Rose claimed Shehbaz used the aid funds to send one million pounds through money laundering to his frontman Aftab Mehmood, a British citizen of Pakistani descent, who then gave the money to Shehbaz's family. Shehbaz and his family allegedly stole British citizens' tax relief funds, according to news reports. Salman Shehbaz, Shehbaz's son, refuted this information.

A DFID representative referred to the reports as "baseless" and "fabricated" on the organisation's website, and in January 2020, Shehbaz filed a claim for damages against the Daily Mail and Rose in the Royal Court of Justice in London.

According to court documents, the Daily Mail took almost three years to submit a defence of Rose's story. On 20 April 2020, Justice Matthew Nicklin issued the initial order for the listing hearing window running from 21 April 2020 to 31 July 2020. On 7 May 2020, Justice Nicklin issued a second ruling that extended the due dates. On 20 October 2020, Justice Nicklin issued the first order, merging the claims of Shehbaz and his son-in-law Yousaf. On 28 January 2021, Justice Nicklin issued another order pertaining to the preliminary issue trial. The verdict and order were delivered on 5 February 2021. Justice Nicklin ruled at the meaning hearing at the London High Court in favour of the PML(N). Justice Nicklin determined that the Mail on Sunday's article carried the highest level of defamatory meaning for both Shehbaz and Yousaf.

On 18 February 2021, Justice Nicklin issued the directive with relation to certain deadlines. On 15 March 2022, the Daily Mail filed its defence. On 17 March 2022, Master Thornett issued the directive to file the defence. On 23 June and 20 September 2022, he then issued the orders to extend the deadline for filing the defence. Following negotiations to resolve the dispute after March 2022 between Daily Mail and Shehbaz, it was made apparent to his legal counsel that the publication would issue an apology and take down the item under his conditions. On 26 September 2022, Justice Nicklin issued an order and scheduled a joint case management meeting for 9 November. Three days prior to this hearing, Shehbaz pulled his request for a delay in favour of a full trial in a shrewd political move. According to the regulations, the court was not informed that the lawyers for Daily Mail had been secretly negotiating with Shehbaz's lawyers for several months, proposing to apologise. Shehbaz was persuaded by his legal staff that there was no use in submitting more paperwork as the paper had already agreed to apologise and remove the defamatory and misleading piece.

Daily Mail publishers and Shehbaz's lawyers signed an agreement of settlement with Tomlin Order in the second week of December 2022, after which Daily Mail removed the defamatory article and apologised to the prime minister and his son-in-law. The ANL promised that it will never propagate these false allegations at any forum, it has also worked with Google to remove all articles carrying Daily Mail's previous allegations.

Chief Minister of Punjab (2008–2018)

Sharif was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly unopposed from Constituency PP-48 (Bhakkar-II) as a PML(N) candidate in the by-election held in June 2008. Subsequently, he was elected unopposed as the Chief Minister of Punjab, receiving 265 votes unopposed after securing 265 votes. Later, in June 2008, while holding the Assembly seat from Constituency PP-48 (Bhakkar-II), Sharif contested for a seat in the Punjab Assembly from Constituency PP-10 (Rawalpindi-X). He was elected unopposed but resigned from this seat due to a dispute regarding his eligibility to serve as chief minister.

His second term as chief minister was interrupted on 25 February 2009 when the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared him ineligible to hold public office, resulting in the vacancy of his seat in the Punjab Assembly and his removal from the office of chief minister. On 1 April 2009, a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court overturned the earlier decision, reinstating Sharif as chief minister.

In the 2013 general election, Sharif was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly from three Constituencies PP-159 (Lahore-XXIII), PP-161 (Lahore-XXV) and PP-247 (Rajanpur-I), as a PML(N) candidate. In the same election, he was re-elected to the National Assembly from Constituency NA-129 (Lahore-XII). Sharif chose to retain his Provincial Assembly seat PP-159 (Lahore-XXIII) and was re-elected as chief minister of Punjab for the third time, receiving 300 votes in the 371-member Provincial Assembly.

In August 2014, a dissenting note by members of a joint investigation team, composed of representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and other branches, stated that Chief Minister Shehbaz, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, Dr Tauqeer Shah, and other senior police officers were directly or indirectly responsible for the killing of over a dozen Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers in the Model Town Massacre. Similarly, a sessions court in Lahore ordered ordered police to register murder charges against 21 individuals, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif for the massacre.

Intra-party politics

In 2016, Sharif was elected unopposed as the president of the PML(N)'s Punjab chapter in intra-party elections.

On 29 July 2017, following the disqualification of outgoing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after the Panama Papers case decision, Sharif was named leader of the PML(N) and their candidate for the office of prime minister. However, he was not a member of the National Assembly, so Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was asked to serve as the interim prime minister of Pakistan, allowing Sharif enough time to enter the legislature through a by-election. Later, Sharif decided to complete his tenure as chief minister until the next general election.

In December 2017, Sharif was named as the candidate of PML(N) for the office of prime minister in the 2018 general election.

In February 2018, Sharif was appointed the interim president of the PML(N). In March 2018, he was elected unopposed as the president of PML(N). It was reported that the establishment had previously offered Sharif the position of prime minister of Pakistan on several occasions, which he did not accept.

Leader of the Opposition (2018–2022)

Sharif was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML(N) from Constituency NA-132 (Lahore-X) in the 2018 Pakistani general election. In the same election, he was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of Punjab as a candidate of PML(N) from Constituency PP-164 (Lahore-XXI) and PP-165 (Lahore-XXII). Following his successful election, he abandoned his Punjab seats in favour of the National assembly seat.

On 16 August 2018, he was nominated by PML(N) for the office of Prime Minister of Pakistan. The following day, he secured 96 votes, losing to Imran Khan. Later, he was nominated for the office of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly by 111 members of the National Assembly. On 20 August 2018, he was notified as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. Concurrently, he served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee from 22 December 2018 until 28 November 2019, when he resigned and was succeeded by Rana Tanveer Hussain.

In September 2020, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Sharif on charges of laundering Rs. 7,328 million (US$41 million) through a purported scheme involving close associates and family members. The NAB had previously frozen 23 properties owned by Sharif, his son, and other relatives, alleging these assets were acquired through unknown sources of income and that foreign funds were funnelled via fake transactions through a company owned by Sharif's son-in-law, Haroon Yousaf.

Following his arrest, Sharif was held in custody during the investigation. In November 2020, he was temporarily released on parole to attend his mother's funeral prayers. On 14 April 2021, he was granted bail by the Lahore High Court in the money laundering case.

Prime Minister (2022–2023)

On 10 April 2022, Sharif was nominated as a candidate for prime minister by opposition parties following the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan after the 2022 Pakistani constitutional crisis. He was elected prime minister on 11 April 2022. He took the oath of office on the same day, administered by the Chairman of the Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, acting for President Arif Alvi, who was on medical leave after complaining of "discomfort".

On 13 May 2022, it was reported that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would not pursue the money laundering cases against Shehbaz and his son, Chief Minister of Punjab Hamza Shehbaz. These reports were based on a submission from FIA Special Prosecutor Sikandar Zulqarnain Saleem, who stated that the FIA's Director General, through the investigating officer, conveyed to Saleem that he should not continue to appear in this case because the defendants were about to be elected to the positions of Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Punjab. Additionally, Saleem wrote that "the quarters concerned are not interested in prosecuting the accused persons." Judge Ijaz Hassan Awan of the Special Court (Central-I) made this application part of the case file.

This came days after the death of Dr. Rizwan, the FIA director who had led the money-laundering investigation against Shehbaz and his son, and had been placed on the no-fly list by Shahbaz's government. The following month, Maqsood Chaprasi, another suspect in the case who was a peon for the Sharif family, also died from cardiac arrest in Dubai before the proceedings concluded. Earlier investigations in 2020 by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also focused on Nisar Ahmed, who NAB described as a front man for the Sharif family, and Mushtaq Cheeni, had also revealed being involved in money laundering for the Sharif family.

On 12 October 2022, Prime Minister Sharif and his son were acquitted on all charges of corruption and money laundering by the Special Court Central in Lahore. After the verdict, Sharif's lawyer Amjad Pervez described the case as "totally baseless and politically motivated." Reacting to the verdict, former Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the acquittal covered up their theft worth billions and was a "slap in the nation's face by the judicial system".

Domestic policy

Sharif's main priority upon his ascension as prime minister in 2022 was to resolve the severe economic crisis that began that year, as rising fuel prices due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, excessive borrowing, poor macroeconomic decision-making, a balance of payments crisis, among other factors had accumulated into a severe crisis that strained the nation's economy. Sharif also vowed to investigate Imran Khan's allegations of American intervention to instigate the latter's removal from power, vowing to step down if an "iota of evidence" was found against him. Sharif promised to enact electoral reforms to ensure that free and fair elections occurred.

Economic policy

Soon after Sharif's swearing-in ceremony, the government announced a relief package that included various measures such as raising the minimum wage from Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 25,000, subsidising wheat flour, a 10% raise in pensions, and a government employee salary reduction to less than Rs. 100,000 rupees. He also revived the Benazir Income Support Programme for poverty reduction, expanding it to educational aid.

In order to resolve skyrocketing fuel prices, Sharif sought to amplify energy production from power projects. He expressed his intentions to resolve the lack of profit from Pakistan's coal of reserves, suggesting that the Thar Engro Coal Power Project could be connected to other coal-powered plants and amplify production to up to 4,000 megawatts. Sharif further suggested that the Thar Project could revive the national economy and save the government up to $6 billion as the expenditure on energy imports rose to $24 billion.

Under Sharif's premiership, Pakistan's inflation rate skyrocketed to a multi-decade high of 27.3% in September 2022 and 37.97% in May 2023. In January 2023, 7 million textile workers became unemployed due to decreasing exports and the government's failure to end the economic crisis.

Despite negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a relief package for Pakistan's economy, the Pakistani rupee continued to depreciate under Sharif's tenure, with increasing inflation, unemployment, and low profits damaging business in Pakistan. The government's target of $7.7 billion for FY 2023 for foreign commercial loans also slumped, with only $0.2 billion gained from July to October 2022.

Sharif's government continued negotiations with the IMF for a relief package to mitigate the effects of the economic crisis, with a staff-level agreement reached in June 2023 for a $3 billion stand-by arrangement. In July 2023, the IMF's executive board approved the loan and begin a disbursement of roughly $1.2 billion. To secure the loan, Sharif's government instituted austerity measures in its annual budget, raising taxes by $750 million and hiking its interest rate to 22%, measures to curb inflation.

2022 Pakistan floods

In 2022, Sindh and Balochistan received more rainfall than the August average, with 784% and 500% more, respectively. In addition to this rise in rainfall, southern Pakistan experienced back-to-back heat waves in May and June 2022, which were record-setting and made more likely by climate change. These conditions created a strong thermal low that brought heavier rains than usual. On 25 August 2022, Sharif's government declared a nationwide state of emergency due to the floods, which killed around 1,700 people and caused over roughly $30–40 billion in damage.

In response to the floods and farmer sit-ins over electricity and fuel bills, Sharif launched the Kissan Package for farmers' relief, forming a federal committee and unveiling a Rs. 600 billion package. As a part of this package, the government would provide Rs. 50 billion subsidised loans to young entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector across the country, alongside Rs. 10 billion to small and medium enterprises in the agriculture sector. In addition to these measures, the package rolled out Rs. 5 billion to landless farmers affected by the floods, and the provision of 1.2 million bags of certified seeds to flood-affected farmers. In regards to cost divisions, Sharif stated that the federal government would provide 50% of the contributions while the four provinces would provide the other 50%. Sharif's government also reduced duties on knock-down kits tractor parts from 35% to 15%, and wheat imports were enhanced to 2.6 million tonnes in order to prevent a national wheat shortage. These measures in the Kissan Package were implemented to enhance the agriculture sector and its related sectors such as the fertiliser industry, and particularly to mitigate the harmful economic effects of the floods on the country.

Energy policy

Sharif's ascension as prime minister was also marked by an energy crisis in Pakistan as a result of a failure to open completed projects and global fuel and energy prices hiking due to the Russo-Ukrainian War and the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2025, Sharif's government opted out of an LNG import of $39.8 per MMBTU because of its unaffordability, instead relying on nationwide loadshedding. As a result of this decision, Sharif warned Pakistanis to prepare for loadshedding for the following month as he stated that his government would try and make an energy duel for LNG imports possible. In July 2022, Sharif ordered the resumption of energy production from closed power plants such as the Punjab Thermal Power Plant and the Sahiwal Coal Power Project. Projects such as these two plants were delayed because of a lack of ownership or the breakdown of contractual commitments.

Under his premiership, Sharif began the transition all government buildings to solar power to reduce the government's fuel import bill. He added that this move would be an example for the country's provincial governments, urging provincial leaders to follow suit and standardise the use of solar power for government buildings.

Foreign affairs

Sharif's government sought to improve ties with the United States after strained relations due to Lettergate, despite Pakistan's close ties with China. Sharif met US President Joe Biden in New York City in September 2022 during the United Nations General Assembly annual summit. During the meeting, Biden pledged support to Pakistan in the aftermath of the devastating floods. In October 2022, President Biden called Pakistan "one of the most dangerous nations in the world" during an address in California. Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari rejected the statement as baseless, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US ambassador for an explanation of Biden's remarks.

Sharif also sought closer ties with China and the amplification of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. However, relations grew increasingly complicated due to a rise in attacks on Chinese workers by groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and Balochistan Liberation Army, as the Pakistan Army is responsible for the security of CPEC workers. Sharif visited China on a two-day official visit in November 2022, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, and visiting after the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. Sharif pledged to revitalise CPEC and expand trade.

Sharif's first visit as prime minister was to Saudi Arabia in April 2022 on a three-day official visit, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Sharif's government also secured an $8 billion package from Saudi Arabia in May 2022, alongside an expansion to a $2.4 billion oil financing facility funded by Saudi Arabia. Sharif visited the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to secure investments in Pakistan; he expressed his desire to facilitate a strong and healthy business environment in Pakistan for Qatari investors during a Pakistan-Qatar trade and investment roundtable meeting in Doha; 2022.

Sharif visited Turkey and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on several occasions, seeking to further deepen Pakistan-Turkey relations and enhance trade. He invited Turkey to join CPEC.

Sharif's government also inaugurated a new power transmission line with Iran during a ceremony in Pishin along the Iran–Pakistan border with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, facilitating the transmission of up to 100 megawatts of Iranian electricity to Pakistan. Sharif's government also remained committed to the construction of an Iran–Pakistan gas pipeline.

Sharif visited the United Kingdom during the funeral of Elizabeth II in September 2022 as the head of government of a Commonwealth republic, offering condolences to Charles III and meeting with British prime minister Liz Truss. Sharif again visited the United Kingdom for the coronation of Charles III and Queen Camilla, attending the ceremony at Westminster Abbey and meeting with British prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Between premierships

On 9 August 2023, Sharif suggested the dissolution of parliament to President Arif Alvi, three days before the end of its term. On 14 August, the 76th independence day of Pakistan, Sharif's term ended as prime minister and Anwaar ul Haq Kakar was appointed caretaker prime minister until a general election would be held.

On 21 October 2023, Sharif welcomed the return of his brother, Nawaz Sharif, to Pakistan after four years of self-imposed exile. Nawaz returned to Pakistan after obtaining protective bail two days prior, which allowed him to return without being arrested. Nawaz's acquisition of protective bail was a result of the Shehbaz government's adoption of a law which allowed for review petitions against previous Supreme Court verdicts to be filed. Shehbaz was a part of the PML(N) welcome rally for Nawaz in Lahore, where tens of thousands of PML(N) supporters awaited Nawaz's arrival.

On 22 December 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan ruled that the PTI would not be allowed to use its party symbol in the upcoming elections, citing that the party failed to hold intra-party elections up to the commission's standards. This decision was widely controversial and viewed as pre-poll rigging by eliminating PTI opposition, thus clearing the way for Nawaz Sharif to win the election and become prime minister with ease.

A general election was held on 8 February 2024, with Nawaz Sharif serving as the PML(N) candidate for prime minister. However, Nawaz did not get his projected easy victory as PTI candidates, running as independents, managed to secure the most seats. The PML(N) won the second most seats while the PPP won the third most; however, neither the independent candidates or the two largest parties were able to secure the 169 seats needed for a majority. On 20 February, the PML(N) and PPP formed a minority coalition government, and Shehbaz was chosen as the prime ministerial candidate over Nawaz. As a part of the coalition arrangement, senior PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, was chosen as the coalition's candidate for president. The general election was marred with controversy as Pakistan's military establishment was accused of rigging the election to prevent the PTI from winning. International media also denounced the election while members of the international community voiced concern over its fairness.

Prime Minister (2024–present)

On 3 March 2024, Sharif was re-elected as prime minister for a second term after a disputed general election, receiving 201 votes against 92 for the PTI candidate, Omar Ayub, in the National Assembly. He formed a coalition government with the Pakistan People's Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, and the Balochistan Awami Party.

Economy

Immediately after his swearing-in, Sharif directed preparations for a national economic revival plan. He opened talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a new loan, ordered the Federal Board of Revenue o clear tax refunds worth Rs65 billion, and announced that loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs) would be privatised. He appointed Muhammad Aurangzeb, a former president of Habib Bank Limited and JPMorgan banker, as finance minister.

The government negotiated a bailout agreement with the IMF in July 2024 and secured a $7 billion programme in September. To meet IMF fiscal targets, it raised taxes substantially and brought private companies into the new tax scheme, raising the exporters' rate from 1% to 29% on top of a 30% corporate tax, the highest in South Asia. In August 2024, Sharif's government announced plans to renegotiate contracts with independent power producer to reduce costs.

The government later launched Uraan Pakistan, a five-year plan centred on what it termed the "five Es": Exports; E-Pakistan; Equity and Empowerment; Environment, Food and Water Security; and Energy and Infrastructure. Its targets included achieving a 6% annual GDP growth by 2028, the creation of 1 million jobs per year, boosting exports to $60 billion annually by 2028, and $10 billion worth of private investment annually. The plan also envisaged Pakistan to emerge as a trillion dollar economy by 2035. Amid austerity measures, the government increased the monthly salaries of ministers and advisers by 188% to Rs519,000, drawing criticism.

Beginning in May 2025 the government began privatising more than 50 SOEs, excluding "strategic" ones, in three phases over four years.. The IMF had recommended the move because the SOEs hold substantial assets but employ few people, and over half operate at a loss. Inflation fell to 3.5% that month.

The 2026 Iran war strained the economy, as Pakistan sources nearly 90% of its energy imports from the Middle East. In March 2026, in response to rising global fuel prices caused by the Iran war, Sharif announced emergency energy-saving measures, including a four-day work week and school closures. Following the IMF's third programme review in May 2026, the fund cut its growth forecast for the fiscal year 2026-27 to 3.5% and raised its inflation forecast to 8.4%. On 5 June, the government presented a Rs18.77 trillion ($67.49 billion) budget for 2026-27, with higher defence spending and targets of 4% growth and 8.2% inflation, and with reduced taxes on property purchases meant to stimulate construction. Analysts warned that meeting the IMF's revenue target would be difficult. On 13 September, amid continued rises in fuel prices, Sharif announced a relief scheme for users of motorcycles, rickshaws, and vehicles of up to 800cc.

Social policy and environment

Sharif's government has promoted youth empowerment and entrepreneurship. On International Youth Day in 2024, Sharif announced an Rs.100 billion boost for over 300,000 young entrepreneurs as a part of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme, in addition to the launch of several youth empowerment schemes. He also announced that the government would provide 1 million smartphones, tablets, and laptops to students across the country on the basis of merit, alongside personally funding the education of 1,000 graduates of agriculture in China. Sharif also created a youth employment action plan across Pakistan. As a part of this plan, a laptop scheme provided over 600,000 laptops on the basis of merit to young Pakistanis, in addition to youth training initiatives across 268 universities across the country under the Prime Minister Green Youth Program. Sharif also formed the National Youth Council, composed of 113 youth representatives (aged 10–29), aimed at amplifying youth development and integrating young Pakistanis into policy-making.

At the November 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Sharif presented Pakistan’s priorities for climate, emphasising the need for global "climate justice." Moreover, he revealed his government's National Climate Finance Strategy (NCFS), which sought to reduce Pakistan's greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of the national economy, leveraging 60% of clean energy resources, and shifting 30% of vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030.

Sharif's government has enhanced climate cooperation with international partners including through the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Green Belt Programme and the Mangrove Sustainability Initiative, a project to protect, restore, and manage mangrove ecosystems across the globe.

On World Health Day 2024, Sharif vowed to expand medical facilities across Pakistan to be accessible for all people, partnering with provincial governments to upgrade and establish medical facilities, launch mobile health clinics, and ensure cost-free treatment for lower-and-middle class families. Sharif also ordered the use of advanced technology to advance digitised health reforms across the country, alongside the creation of oversight mechanisms to crack down on healthcare violations.

Constitutional changes

In September 2024, Sharif's government announced a "Constitutional Package" which would create a new Federal Constitutional Court. This new court would handle petitions pertaining strictly to interpretations of constitutional clauses. The package also included raising the retirement age of judges in the proposed Constitutional Court to 68, while other judges in Pakistan are required to retire by 65. The package also included a clause that would rule individual legislators' votes against their respective parties as void. In October 2024, Parliament passed the Twenty-sixth Amendment, which expanded parliamentary powers, particularly allowing a parliamentary committee to select the Supreme Court's chief justice. The new amendment was heavily criticised as attacking judicial independence, particularly amplifying judicial action against the PTI and other political opponents. According to the New York City Bar Association, the amendment undermined the separation of powers and judicial independence in Pakistan, hindering the impartiality of the judiciary.

In November 2025, Parliament passed the twenty-seventh Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan proposed by Sharif's government, which asserted the authority of the Federal Constitutional Court—in which judges are selected by the executive branch, and modified Pakistan's military structure. The amendment created the post of Chief of Defence Forces—given to Field Marshal Asim Munir—which oversees all three branches of the Pakistan Armed Forces, and provides Munir with lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan questioned the government's urgency in passing the amendment, while Reema Omer, a legal adviser for the International Commission of Jurists, warned that the new amendment only emboldens the executive and legislative branches, weakening the authority of the judiciary and degrading any balance of power within the government. She described the amendment as a "constitutional surrender."

Counterterrorism and security

In June 2024, Sharif chaired a meeting of the Apex Committee on the National Action Plan in Islamabad, and announced the launch of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a major counterterrorism initiative that involved both military action and socioeconomic development to hinder the spread of radicalism and terrorism in Pakistan. The launch of the operation came amidst a rise in terrorism in Pakistan in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, with militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban taking shelter in Afghanistan to use it as a base for attacks on Pakistani security forces.

Sharif's government has repeatedly accused India of financially supporting the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups that operate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, describing the Pakistani Taliban as Fitna-al-khawarij (lit. 'Conflict of Kharijites') and Baloch rebel groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan (lit. 'Conflict of India').

Sharif condemned the hijacking of the Jaffar Express on 11 March 2025, describing it as a 'cowardly act.' He stated that the perpetrators, whom he identified as members of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), were enemies of the province's development and reaffirmed the government's resolve to eliminate terrorism from the region.

Sharif's government's continued and expanded the deportation of undocumented Afghans from Pakistan that first began under the Anwaar ul Haq Kakar caretaker government in December 2023, citing these undocumented Afghans as a security threat. As of late 2025, the UNHCR confirmed that more than one million Afghans have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2025. Following directives from Sharif's government, this campaign has expanded beyond undocumented individuals to include holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) and Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, with thousands of arrests reported monthly in early 2026.

Civil-military relations

During his premiership, Sharif has maintained positive relations with the Pakistani military. Sharif publicly stated that his government and the military were “on the same page” regarding all key national issues, including national security, counterterrorism, and economic development.

Sharif developed a particularly cordial relationship with Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, describing his relationship with the army as a "role model" for the future. The two leaders held multiple joint meetings on national security and foreign policy, including consultations on Pakistan’s response to India following the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict.

In May 2025, the federal cabinet approved Munir’s promotion to the rank of Field Marshal, citing his “decisive leadership” during the conflict. The promotion ceremony, attended by both Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari, was held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad, where Munir was formally conferred the baton of Field Marshal.

Sharif’s cooperative stance with the military was seen as an effort to maintain political stability and avoid confrontation with the country's powerful military establishment. His government’s approach was described by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif as a “hybrid model” of governance, combining civilian and military decision-making in national and economic affairs.

Foreign policy

Middle East

Sharif's first foreign visit during his second premiership was to Saudi Arabia in 2024, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two agreed to release the first part of a $5 billion Saudi investment. In September 2025, following the Israeli strike on Doha, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement; Saudi officials said it reflected "years of discussions" rather than a response to recent regional developments. Sharif met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in April 2024 after the January exchange of strikes between the two countries, and expressed support for Iran during the June 2025 Iran–Israel war. Sharif also cultivated ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), whose president, Mohamed bin Zayed, committed to invest $10 billion in Pakistan in May 2024. In November 2025, Sharif hosted King Abdullah II of Jordan to Pakistan on a two-day visit, inviting him to the Global Industrial Defence Solutions in Rawalpindi for a review of Pakistan's indigenous defence production.

Sharif condemned Israel's war in Gaza, which he described as a genocide, and supported an independent Palestinian state. In September 2025, he nonetheless backedDonald Trump's Gaza Strip proposal as "a vital step towards peace in the Middle East," and Trump praised his support. In January 2026, Pakistan accepted an invitation to join the Board of Peace for Gaza's reconstruction.

In February 2026, Sharif condemned U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the Assassination of Ali Khamenei, describing the event as a violation of international law. On 12 March, Sharif met with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah to express Pakistan's solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the wake of Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia. On 8 April, Pakistan brokered a two-week temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States. Talks in Islamabad on 11 April, attended by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, ended without agreement the next day, after which the United States imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Pakistan continued to mediate alongside Qatar, and on 17 June, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the Islamabad Memorandum. The agreement extended the ceasefire by 60 days to negotiate a final deal, and Sharif signed it as endorser. Each side later accused the other of violating the memorandum, and the ceasefire collapsed on 8 July after Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

On 7 August 2026, Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in Mecca. It treats an armed attack on any one of the three states as an attack on all.

United States

In April 2025, Sharif met with a United States delegation led by Eric Meyer, Senior Bureau Official for the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, and announced that US companies seek to invest in Pakistan's untapped minerals. Sharif also emphasised the cruciality of American mediation in de-escalating the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, with the Pakistani government nominating Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in mediating an end to the conflict. Trump also met with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir in June 2025, signalling a major thaw in relations between the two countries. In July, Sharif's government negotiated a trade deal with the US which included American investment in Pakistan's crude oil reserves in its territorial waters. The deal also included partnerships in cryptocurrency and information technology. In September 2025, Sharif attended a conference with Muslim leaders and Trump on the sidelines of the Eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly to establish an end to the Gaza war. In the same month, Sharif visited the White House and met with Trump. During the October 2025 Gaza Peace Summit, Sharif announced his intention to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for a second time.

China

Sharif's government pledged to revive the stagnating CPEC through cooperation on infrastructure and mining. This desire to amplify cooperation comes amidst increasing attacks on Chinese workers in Pakistan by militant groups aiming at disrupting CPEC, which has affected China-Pakistan relations. However, China's significant defence cooperation with Pakistan contributed to Pakistan downing Western-manufactured Indian aircraft, particularly a Rafale, during its 2025 conflict against India.

South Asia

In October 2024, Sharif hosted Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad, marking the first such visit since 2015. Relations between India and Pakistan subsequently deteriorated following an April 2025 militant attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistan, a charge that Sharif's government denied. The following crisis led to reciprocal diplomatic measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and Simla Agreement by India and Pakistan, respectively. In May 2025, Sharif oversaw Pakistan's response to Indian military strikes through the launch of Operation Bunyan un-Marsoos against Indian military sites, after which both sides declared a ceasefire. Sharif later declared victory over India and designated 16 May as Youm-e-Tashakur ('Day of Gratitude'), though the conflict produced no clear winner.

Sharif met with Bangladeshi Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in December 2024 during a Developing-8 summit in Cairo, the first meeting between Pakistani and Bangladeshi senior leaders since the July Revolution in Bangladesh. Sharif sought to bolster ties with Bangladesh, launching direct cargo shipments from Pakistan to Chittagong Port and offering 300 scholarships to Bangladeshi students.

Sharif sought to improve relations with Afghanistan while urging its government to take action against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan accuses of operating from Afghan territory. In March 2024, he authorised airstrikes in Eastern Afghanistan targeting TTP strongholds.

While addressing the eightieth session of the UNGA, Sharif publicly claimed that Pakistan faced problems from terrorist groups operating from "Afghan soil." In October 2025, Sharif oversaw Pakistani military operations against both the Afghan Taliban and the TTP as the Pakistani military struck Afghan border posts and cities, including Kabul and Kandahar.

Fighting escalated further in 2026. After Pakistani airstrikes on alleged TTP camps on 21-22 February and Taliban attacks on border posts on 26 February, Pakistan attacked targets in Kabul, Kandahar, and elsewhere declared "open war" on 27 February. A March ceasefire collapsed, and talks hosted by China in Ürümqi did not produce a lasting settlement. After nearly three months of relative calm following Pakistani airstrikes in late June, fighting resumed in September with airstrikes and cross-border attacks.

Democratic backsliding

Immediately after becoming prime minister for his second term, PTI supporters across Pakistan began major protests and demonstrations on 11 March, calling for Sharif's removal from office on allegations of electoral rigging in the 2024 general election. These protests also called for the restoration of the PTI's "stolen mandate" and the release of senior PTI leaders, including Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi. In response to these protests, the Pakistani police launched a large-scale national crackdown, arresting and attacking PTI protestors.

On 15 July 2024, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced that the government was considering a ban on the PTI, citing the violent 2023 Pakistani protests and the PTI allegedly "leaking classified information." The plan to ban the PTI received large-scale backlash from both inside Pakistan and internationally, with several prominent politicians, journalists, and lawyers condemning the move. According to the Brookings Institution, the move against the PTI revealed the government's "weakness and political insecurity," and the move comes during a period where the judiciary of Pakistan is experiencing increasing state pressure to crack down on political opposition.

Sharif's government continued the unofficial ban on social media platform Twitter (X) imposed by the Kakar caretaker government, and installed an internet firewall. The firewall was created by the government in order to block content that it deemed as propaganda. The firewall was widely criticised for censorship. Furthermore, the internet firewall project was estimated to cost $300 Million. The firewall negatively affected businesses in Pakistan.

Public image

During his tenure as chief minister, Sharif developed a reputation as a diligent administrator. He initiated ambitious infrastructure projects in Punjab and was noted for his efficient governance. On 19 December 2016, Vice-Minister Zheng Xiaosong of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party coined the term "Shehbaz Speed" to acknowledge his contributions to expediting the progress of projects within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Subsequently, the term has been employed to characterise the rate of advancement within the CPEC. In official meetings, Saudi officials also declared Sharif the "Man of Action." In 2025, Sharif was recognised among the world's 500 most influential Muslims by The Muslim 500, an annual publication by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan.

Personal life

Family

Sharif married Nusrat Shehbaz in 1973. They had four children: Salman, Hamza, and twin daughters Javeria and Rabia.

His second marriage was to Aaliya Honey, whom he married in 1993. The couple separated after just one year.

In 2003, Sharif married his third wife, author and artist Tehmina Durrani.

Wealth

His family jointly owns Sharif Group and formerly owned Ittefaq Group. In 2013, it was noted that Shehbaz is wealthier than his elder brother Nawaz with a net worth of Rs. 33.69 crore.

Toshakhana records

On 12 March 2023, the Government of Pakistan released a record of Toshakhana gifts retained by government officials from 2003 to 2023, 90 gifts were retained by Sharif from Toshakhana.

Books

• Azm O Himmat Kī Dāstān (عزم و همت كى داستان; "A Tale of Resolve and Courage"), Lāhore: Sharīf Publīcations, 2000, 72 pp. History and struggle of business endeavours of the Sharif family.