Nawaz Sharif
Who was Nawaz Sharif?
Pakistani politician who served three non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister (1990-1993, 1997-1999, 2013-2017), leading the Pakistan Muslim League-N and implementing major economic initiatives.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Nawaz Sharif (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was born on December 25, 1949, in Lahore, Punjab, into the Sharif family. His father, Muhammad Sharif, started the Ittefaq and Sharif industrial groups, which gave the family a strong business background. Nawaz went to Government College University and then studied law at Punjab University Law College. Although he trained as a lawyer, he mainly focused on politics and business rather than practicing law.
Before Fame
Nawaz Sharif grew up in an industrialist family in Lahore, where he was introduced early on to the world of business. His family's steel and manufacturing businesses gave him hands-on experience in business management, which later influenced his economic policies as a politician. He studied business and law at two leading institutions in Punjab, which helped develop the skills he applied in government. He officially entered politics in 1981 when President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq appointed him as the Finance Minister of Punjab, a position that set the stage for his quick rise in both provincial and national government.
Key Achievements
- Served three non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of Pakistan, accumulating more than nine years in office — the longest total tenure in the country's history.
- Led Pakistan's declaration of nuclear tests in May 1998, known as Chagai-I, making Pakistan an openly declared nuclear state.
- Oversaw major infrastructure and economic initiatives including the construction of motorways connecting Lahore, Islamabad, and other major cities during his tenures.
- Served as Chief Minister of Punjab and subsequently built the Pakistan Muslim League-N into one of the country's dominant political parties.
- Returned to power in 2013 after more than a decade of exile and opposition, completing a democratic transition of power widely regarded as historic for Pakistan.
Did You Know?
- 01.Each of Nawaz Sharif's three terms as Prime Minister ended in his removal from office rather than through a completed electoral term, making him both the longest-serving and most frequently ousted prime minister in Pakistan's history.
- 02.After the 1999 military coup by General Pervez Musharraf, Sharif faced the possibility of the death penalty but avoided it following pressure from US President Bill Clinton, ultimately going into exile under a deal brokered by Saudi King Fahd.
- 03.Nawaz Sharif is a recipient of the Ig Nobel Prize, a satirical award that parodies the Nobel Prizes and is given for achievements that first make people laugh and then make them think.
- 04.He also holds 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 among his international honors.
- 05.In 2007, Sharif attempted to return to Pakistan before the expiry of his exile agreement and was deported upon arrival, underscoring the enduring tensions between him and the military establishment that had removed him from power.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ig Nobel Prize | — | — |
| Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George | — | — |
| Grand Collar of the Order of Good Hope | — | — |
| Order of the Republic | — | — |