Nawaz Sharif

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani politician and businessman who served as the prime minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving prime minister in the country's history, having completed more than 9 years of service across his tenures. His political career includes serving from 1990 to 1993, from 1997 to 1999, and finally from 2013 to 2017.

Early life and education

Nawaz Sharif was born in Lahore, Punjab, on 25 December 1949. He belongs to a Punjabi-speaking Kashmiri family whose ancestors emigrated from Anantnag in Kashmir for business purposes. His father, Muhammad Sharif, was an upper-middle-class businessman and industrialist who founded the Ittefaq and Sharif groups. After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, his parents migrated from Amritsar to Lahore.

Sharif attended Saint Anthony High School before pursuing higher education in Lahore. He graduated from Government College University with a degree in art and business. Later, he earned a law degree from the Law College of Punjab University. His family owns the multimillion-dollar Ittefaq Group and the Sharif Group, which manages holdings in sugar mills, transport, and agriculture.

Career

The political journey of Nawaz Sharif began following financial challenges caused by nationalisation policies that affected his family's steel business. He joined Asghar Khan's Tehreek-e-Istiqlal in the late 1970s to pursue interests in restoring control over these industrial plants. In 1981, he was appointed as the minister of finance for the province of Punjab under the regime of President Zia. Supported by a loose coalition of conservatives, he was elected as the chief minister of Punjab in 1985 and received re-election after martial law ended in 1988.

Before the 1990 election, Sharif was appointed head of the conservative Islami Jamhuri Ittihad. He subsequently became the 12th prime minister of Pakistan with assistance from various generals and figures including Haji Ayub Afridi. After President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved the National Assembly in 1993, Sharif served as the leader of the opposition to Benazir Bhutto from 1993 to 1996. He regained the premiership in 1997 after the Pakistan Muslim League (N) won the election, but his term ended in 1999 due to a military takeover by General Pervez Musharraf.

Following the coup, Sharif faced imprisonment and trials. He eventually struck a deal with the military establishment that was brokered by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, which led to a ten-year period of exile. Although he attempted to return in 2007, he was deported. He returned to active politics in 2011 and led his party to a third victory in 2013. His third term ended in 2017 when the Supreme Court of Pakistan removed him from office following the Panama Papers case.

In 2018, the Pakistani Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and an accountability court sentenced him to ten years in prison. He traveled to London for medical treatment on bail in 2019. While a Pakistani court declared him an absconder due to his failure to return within four weeks, the Islamabad High Court later granted him protective bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases. After four years of exile, he returned to Pakistan in 2023 and was acquitted by the Islamabad High Court in both the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Avenfield cases. He has been a member of the National Assembly since 29 February 2024. Since 16 March 2025, he has served as Patron-in-Chief of the Lahore Heritage Revival Authority.

Sharif also had a brief involvement with cricket. In 1973, he played for the Railways team against Pakistan International Airlines but was dismissed for a duck on his first ball. During a warm-up match in 1987, he reportedly captained a team and insisted on opening the batting against the West Indies. He was eventually bowled after facing five bouncers.

Personal life

Nawaz Sharif married Kulsoom in April 1970. She is the granddaughter of the wrestler known as The Great Gama, who was born Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt. The couple has four children: Maryam, Asma, Hassan, and Hussain. Sharif has two younger brothers, Shehbaz Sharif and the late Abbas Sharif, both of whom entered politics.

Awards and recognition

The provided records list several awards associated with Nawaz Sharif. These include the Ig Nobel Prize, the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, the Grand Collar of the Order of Good Hope, and the Order of the Republic.