Shehbaz Sharif
Pakistan's prime minister is running a dual-front crisis: mediating a collapsed US-Iran ceasefire while prosecuting Operation Shaban against Balochistan militants. US senators question his fitness as broker; fuel prices reversed his earlier cuts.
Shehbaz Sharif is managing a country on multiple emergency fronts, and his signature diplomatic project is fraying. He brokered the June 18 Islamabad MoU between the US and Iran, calling the role "a great honour," but Trump declared the ceasefire over on July 10 after Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Sharif telephoned Iranian President Pezeshkian and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim to urge compliance with the 14-point agreement, while Iran's delegation says no talks will proceed until Washington fulfills its commitments. His credibility as mediator took a direct hit when Senators Rick Scott and Lindsey Graham publicly attacked it, citing Pakistan's bin Laden history, blasphemy laws, and Iranian military aircraft on Pakistani bases. Sharif has not responded.
At home, Sharif convened a Provincial Apex Committee in Quetta with Field Marshal Asim Munir to launch Operation Shaban after a July 5 militant assault on a Mangi Dam police post killed nine officers and 18 abductees were later found executed. Security forces have killed over 120 militants since the offensive began. Sharif vowed the war continues "until the last terrorist in Pakistan is eliminated," with ISPR accusing India and Afghan sanctuaries of backing the TTP and BLA.
The US-Iran escalation is feeding back into the domestic economy. Sharif's government raised petrol by Rs 13.18 per litre and diesel by Rs 13.80 effective July 11, hitting the Rs 80 petroleum levy ceiling, after Brent crude rose on the tensions. The increases reversed rounds of cuts he had championed weeks earlier. A Petroleum Prices Stabilisation Fund was set up to meet IMF commitments, and Sharif established a transparency committee for petroleum pricing.
On the diplomatic circuit, Sharif hosted Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman in Islamabad on July 9, signing a joint declaration on trade, investment, agriculture, IT and defense, and agreed to open a Croatian visa facility. Pakistan also assumed the OIC women's chairmanship for a two-year term after hosting the ministerial conference in Islamabad. He led a delegation to Ayatollah Khamenei's state funeral in Tehran, where Pezeshkian publicly thanked "dear brother" Sharif for attending. More than 100 Indian and Pakistani citizens issued a joint open letter urging Sharif and Modi to restore diplomatic engagement, visas and trade; Sharif has not publicly responded.
On their plate
Sharif brokered the June 18 Islamabad MoU between Trump and Pezeshkian but the ceasefire collapsed July 10. He phoned Pezeshkian and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim to urge compliance, while Iran's delegation says no talks until the US fulfills commitments. Senators Scott and Graham publicly attacked his credibility as mediator.
Sharif convened a Provincial Apex Committee in Quetta with Field Marshal Asim Munir to coordinate Operation Shaban, launched after a July 5 militant assault on a Mangi Dam police post killed nine officers. Security forces have killed over 120 militants; Sharif vowed to fight until the last terrorist is eliminated. ISPR accuses India and Afghan sanctuaries of backing the TTP and BLA.
Sharif's government raised petrol by Rs 13.18 and diesel by Rs 13.80 per litre effective July 11, hitting the Rs 80 petroleum levy ceiling after Brent crude rose on US-Iran tensions. A Petroleum Prices Stabilisation Fund was set up to meet IMF commitments, reversing earlier rounds of cuts Sharif had championed.
Sharif hosted Croatian FM Grlić-Radman, signing a joint declaration on trade, defense and visas, and reaffirmed Pakistan's goal to re-enter the EU GSP+ framework by January 2027. Pakistan assumed the OIC women's chairmanship for two years after hosting the ministerial conference in Islamabad July 12-13.
At the UN Human Rights Council's 62nd session, Sharif faced allegations of a harsh crackdown in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including 22+ deaths and 576 arrests. He countered rhetorically by condemning foreign occupying powers in Palestine and Indian-administered Kashmir on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Key relationships
Deputy PM Dar is Sharif's point person for OIC conference preparations and PIA privatization messaging, working in tandem on economic and diplomatic fronts.
Sharif is cultivating a close relationship with Iran's president, mediating between Tehran and Washington and attending Khamenei's funeral, where Pezeshkian publicly thanked him as a 'dear brother.'
Sharif hosted the Croatian foreign minister for the first-ever such visit to Pakistan, signing a joint declaration on trade, investment, agriculture, IT and defense.
Senator Scott publicly attacked Sharif's credibility as US-Iran mediator, citing Pakistan's bin Laden history and blasphemy laws. Sharif has not responded.
Sharif is coordinating the Balochistan counterinsurgency directly with the army chief, convening jointly in Quetta to launch Operation Shaban.
Senator Graham publicly questioned Pakistan's credibility as mediator, citing anti-Israel animosity and Iranian military aircraft on Pakistani bases. Sharif has not responded.
Keep reading in the app
Where they stand, in full, free in the app.
Coming soonGoogle Play