Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu/Punjabi: میاں محمد نواز شریف, born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani businessman and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1990 to 1993, from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2013 to 2017. He had previously served as the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1985 to 1990. He is Pakistan's longest-serving prime minister.[1]
Born into the upper-middle class Sharif family in Lahore, he is the son of Ittefaq and Sharif Group founder, Muhammad Sharif, and the elder-brother of three-time elected Punjab Chief Minister, Shehbaz. He is one of Pakistan's wealthiest men with a net worth of $1.4 billion.[2] Sharif studied business at Government College and later law at the University of Punjab before entering politics in the later 1970s. In 1981, Sharif was appointed by Zia-ul-Haq's regime as the Minister of Finance for the province of Punjab. Backed by a loose coalition of conservatives, he was elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab in 1985 and re-elected after the end of martial law in 1988. In 1990, Sharif led a conservative alliance to victory, leading him to become the nation's Prime Minister. Later it was alleged that the election was rigged in favour of Sharif by the Pakistani intelligence agency, the ISI, channeling millions of rupees into his election campaign.[3]
Sharif's first administration came to an end when then President Ghulam dismissed Sharif on corruption charges. Sharif successfully challenged the dismissal in the Supreme Court,[4] but both men were ultimately persuaded to step down in 1993 by army chief Waheed.[4] Sharif's second term also saw tussles with the judiciary and the military. Sharif also forcibly relieved General Karamat from command and replaced him with Musharraf in 1998.[5] However, the Kargil War led to a deterioration of his relations with Musharraf. When he attempted to relieve Musharraf from his command on 12 October 1999, the military instead ousted Sharif's government and exiled him to Saudi Arabia.[5]
In the 2013 elections, Sharif's Muslim League formed a coalition government. As a result, Sharif was elected Prime Minister by Parliament.[6][7] On the security front, in 2015 the military launched an offensive to remove extremist groups in northwestern Pakistan and another paramilitary offensive in 2017.[8][9] Sharif's third term is also underpinned by social centrism rather than the social conservatism which guided his prior two terms.[10][11] Sharif's third term has brought macroeconomic stability with the help of substantial loans from the IMF, and multi-billion dollar investment deals with China.[12] However, he has faced criticism over rising sovereign debt,[13] which has risen by 35%.[14] Sharif's family has come under trial over the Panama Papers.[15][16][17][18][19]
On 28 July 2017, Sharif was barred from public office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for a period of 10 years. He was also put on the Exit Control List to prevent his departure from the country—in order for the NAB to continue investigation corruption charges against Sharif and his three children, Mariam, Hussain and Hassan.[20] Sharif submitted his resignation after the ruling.[21]
Contents [hide]
1 Personal life and education
2 Political career
2.1 Initial political career
2.2 Punjab Advisory Council
2.3 Chief Minister of Punjab
2.4 1988 elections
3 First term as prime minister (1990–93)
3.1 Conservative policies
3.2 Domestic issues
3.3 Industrialization and privatisation
3.4 Science policy
3.5 Nuclear policy
3.6 1992 co-operatives societies scandal
3.7 1993 constitutional crisis
3.8 End of first term
4 Parliamentary opposition (1993–96)
5 Second term as prime minister (1997–99)
5.1 Atomic policy
5.1.1 1998 nuclear tests
5.1.2 Economical effects of tests
5.1.3 Political effects of tests
5.1.4 Space programme
5.2 Foreign policy
5.3 Constitutional amendment
5.4 Issues with judiciary
5.4.1 Attack on Supreme Court
5.4.2 2006 formal apology
5.5 Policy on anti-terrorism
5.6 Relations with the military
5.6.1 Dismissal of General Jehangir Karamat
5.6.2 Confrontation with the military
6 Military coup
6.1 Trial of the prime minister
6.1.1 1999 tax evasion scandal
7 Return to Pakistan
7.1 Failed attempt in Islamabad
7.2 Successful return in Lahore
8 2008 General elections
9 In opposition (2008–2013)
9.1 By-elections
9.2 Musharraf impeachment
9.3 Lawyers movement
9.4 Removal of bar on third term
10 2013 Pakistan general election
10.1 Khan–Sharif rivalry
10.2 Policies
10.3 2013 election results
11 Third term as Prime Minister (2013–2017)
11.1 Domestic policy
11.1.1 Social policy
11.1.2 Economic policy
11.1.2.1 Overview
11.1.2.2 FY 2013–14
11.1.2.3 FY 2014–15
11.1.2.4 FY 2015–16
11.1.2.5 FY 2016–17
11.1.2.6 Privatization
11.1.2.7 Communications and development
11.1.2.8 Pakistan Vision 2025
11.1.2.9 Nuclear power policy
11.1.2.10 FATA reform
11.2 National security and defence policy
11.2.1 Karachi operation
11.2.2 Operation Zarb-e-Azb
11.3 Foreign policy
11.3.1 Neighboring countries
11.3.1.1 China
11.3.1.2 India
11.3.1.2.1 2016 Indian Kashmir unrest
11.3.1.3 Afghanistan
11.3.2 United States
11.3.3 Europe
11.3.4 Muslim world
11.3.4.1 Saudi Arabia
11.3.5 Russia
12 Public image
13 Criticism
13.1 Wealth and conglomerates
13.2 2016 Panama Papers leak
14 Eponymous entities
15 See also
16 References
17 Further readings and sources
18 External links
Personal life and education
See also: Sharif family
Government College University, where Sharif studied business.
Nawaz Sharif was born in Lahore, Punjab on 25 December 1949.[22][23] The Sharif family are Punjabis of Kashmiri origin.[23] His father, Muhammad Sharif, was an upper-middle-class businessman and industrialist whose family had emigrated from Anantnag in Kashmir for business, and eventually settled in the village of Jati Umra in Amritsar district, Punjab at the beginning of the twentieth century. His mother's family came from Pulwama.[24] After the movement led by Jinnah and his struggle to create Pakistan in 1947, his parents migrated from Amritsar to Lahore.[23] His father followed the teachings of the Ahl-i Hadith.[25] His family owns Ittefaq Group, a multimillion-dollar steel conglomerate[26] and Sharif Group, a conglomerate company with holdings in agriculture, transport and sugar mills.
He is married to Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif, who is also descended from a Kashmiri family.[27] 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.[28] His daughter Maryam Nawaz is currently the chairperson for the prime minister's youth initiative. Maryam is married to politician Muhammad Safdar Awan.[29] His other daughter, Asma Nawaz, is married to Ali Dar, son of Ishaq Dar, the current finance minister of Pakistan.[24][30] The personal residence of the Sharif family, Raiwind Palace, is located in Jati Umra, Raiwind, on the outskirts of Lahore.[31] He also has a residence in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, known as the Sharif Villa, where he lived during his years in exile.[32] His elder son, Hussain Nawaz, is a businessman based in Saudi Arabia and currently resides in the Jeddah house.[33] His younger son, Hassan Nawaz, is also a businessman and lives in London.[34]
He went to Saint Anthony High School. He graduated from the Government College University (GCU) with an art and business degree and then received a law degree from the Law College of Punjab University in Lahore.[35][36] Nawaz Sharif underwent heart surgery in May 2016 in London. It was his second open-heart operation.[37][38] His deteriorating health and ultimately an open heart surgery only three days before the presentation of country's annual budget. Many opposition leaders and the legal fraternity, including former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry have raised important questions impending constitutional crisis in the country. Chaudhry called for electing a new interim Prime Minister to avoid the crisis.[39]
Political career
Initial political career
Nawaz Sharif started his political career during the period of nationalization policies introduced by former Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[23] The Sharif family were financially devastated after the family steel business was nationalised, and Sharif jumped into national politics soon afterwards.[23] In 1976 Sharif joined the Pakistan Muslim League, a conservative front rooted in the Punjab province. He initially focused on regaining control of his steel plants from the government.[23] 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; Sharif was one of the men he found and promoted, quickly making him Finance Minister of the Punjab.[40] 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.[23]
He maintained close relations with Zia-ul-Haq, who soon agreed to return the steel mill which had been lost to nationalisation by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[23] 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 (IJI) – a conservative political alliance that supported Sharif.[23]
Sharif invested in Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Arab countries in the Middle East to rebuild his steel empire.[41] According to personal accounts and his time spent with Sharif, American historian Stephen Philips Cohen states in his book Idea of Pakistan: "Nawaz Sharif never forgave Bhutto after his steel empire was lost into the hands of Bhutto; and even after [Bhutto's] terrible end, Sharif publicly refused to forgive the soul of Bhutto or the Pakistan Peoples Party."[41] After coming to national power in 1990, Sharif attempted to reverse of Bhutto's nationalisation policies, introducing an economy based on privatisation and economic liberalisation.[41]
Punjab Advisory Council
In 1981, he initially joined as a member of the Punjab Advisory Council[35] under General Ghulam Jilani Khan, the Governor of the Province.[40] Since his early career, Sharif has been a strong vocal of capitalism and strongly opposed its inverse, the nationalisation.[23] In the 1980s, Sharif gained influence on General Zia-ul-Haq who had previously agreed to return his steel industry to him, convincing the General to denationalise and deregulate the industries to improve the economy.[23] Under the Military government of Lieutenant-General Ghulam Jilani Khan, Sharif was appointed as the provisional finance minister and successfully attempted to denationalise all of the government-owned industries to private sector.[35] As provincial finance minister, he presented development-oriented budgets to the military government.[35] 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.[23] 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.[23] Due to its huge financial capital in the 1980s, Punjab Province was Pakistan's richest province and had a better standard of living compared to other provinces.[23]
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.[40] Sharif secured a landslide victory during the non-political parties 1985 elections and became Chief Minister of Punjab with the support of the army.[23] He served for two consecutive terms as Chief Minister of Punjab Province, the most populous province of Pakistan.[42] Because of his vast popularity, he received the nickname "Lion of the Punjab".[43] As chief minister, he stressed welfare and development activities and the maintenance of law and order.[35]
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 ministership.[35] 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.[35] In 1988, General Zia dismissed the government of hand-picked Prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, and called for new elections.[35] 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.[35]
1988 elections
Main article: Pakistani general election, 1988
After General Zia's death in August 1988, Zia's political party–Pakistan Muslim League (Pagara Group)–split into two factions.[44] Sharif led the Zia loyalist Fida Group against the Junejo Group, led by prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo.[44] The Fida Group later took on the mantle of the PML while the Junejo Group became known as the JIP.[44] 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).[44] The alliance was co-led by Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and Sharif to oppose Benazir Bhutto's PPP in the elections.[44] The IJI gained substantial majorities in the Punjab and Sharif was re-elected Chief Minister of Punjab.[44]
In December 1989, Sharif decided to remain in the provincial Punjab Assembly rather than hold a seat in the National Assembly.[45] In early 1989, the PPP government failed to unseat Sharif through a no-confidence motion in the Punjab Assembly.[44] Sharif retained control by a vote of 152 to 106.[44]
First term as prime minister (1990–93)
The conservatives for the first time in the country's history, came into the power under a democratic system, under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.[46] Nawaz Sharif became the 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan on 1 November 1990 as well as head of IJI and succeeded Benazir Bhutto as Prime minister.[46] IJI had been created and funded by the Zia loyalists in the ISI; it received Rs 15 million from the ISI.[47] He campaigned on a conservative platform and vowed to reduce government corruption.[46] He focused on improving the nation's infrastructure and spurred the growth of digital telecommunication.[46] He privatised government banks and opened the door for further industrial privatisation, and disbanded Zulfikar Bhutto's policies.[46] He legalised foreign money exchange to be transacted through private money exchangers.[46] His privatisation policies were continued by both Benazir Bhutto in the mid-1990s and Shaukat Aziz as well in the 2000s.[46]
Conservative policies
Nawaz Sharif meeting with conservative intellectuals of Pakistan in Sindh Province, c. 1990s.
Sharif took steps to initiate Islamization and conservatism at once.[46] The continuation of conservative change in Pakistan society was encouraged, a policy started by Zia ul Haq. Reforms were made to introduce fiscal conservatism, supply-side economics, bioconservatism and religious conservatism in Pakistan.[46]
He raised the issue of Kashmir in international forums and worked toward a peaceful transfer power in Afghanistan so as to help end the rampant trading of illicit drugs and weapons across the border.[46] Sharif intensified General Zia-ul-Haq's controversial Islamization policies, and introduced Islamic Laws such as the Shariat Ordinance and Bait-ul-Maal (to help poor orphans widows, etc.); Moreover, he gave tasks to the Ministry of Religion to prepare reports and recommendations for steps taken toward Islamization. He ensured the establishment of three committees.[46]
Ittehad-e-bain-ul-Muslemeen (Unity of Muslims Bloc)
Nifaz-e-Shariat Committee (Sharia Establishment Committee)
Islamic Welfare Committee
He believed in forming a Muslim Bloc by uniting all Central Asian Muslim countries thus he extended the membership of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) to all Central Asian countries.[46] Nawaz Sharif was confident that he had majority in the assembly thus he ruled with considerable confidence. He had disputes with three successive army chiefs.[46] Sharif took the issue of environmentalism as part of his government platform, and established the Environmental Protection Agency in 1997, as part of his environmental conservatism policy.[48]
Domestic issues
Main articles: Operation Blue Fox, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Clean-up, Politics of Karachi, Economy of Karachi, and Civil-military operations
Following the imposition and passing of the Resolution 660, Resolution 661, and the Resolution 665, Sharif sided with the United Nations on Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.[49] A major international incident took place in the Middle East with Iraq invading the Kuwait which dismayed the world. Sharif's government criticised Iraq for invading the fellow Muslim country, which strained Pakistan's relationships with Iraq.[49] The relationships continued to be strained as Pakistan seek to tighten its relations with Iran, and his foreign policy continued by Benazir Bhutto, Pervez Musharraf until the removal of Saddam Hussein in 2003.[49]
Sharif contended with former Chief of Army Staff General Mirza Aslam Beg over the 1991 Gulf War (See Operation Desert Storm).[49] Under the direction of General Beg, Pakistan Armed Forces actively participated in the conflict and the Army Special Service Group and the Naval Special Service Group was rushed to Saudi Arabia to provide intense security to Saudi royal family.[49] Sharif also contended the upcoming Chief of Army Staff General Asif Nawaz over the paramilitary operation in Sindh Province (See Operation Clean-Up).[49]
Sharif, during his first term, found it difficult working with the PPP and the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM), a potent force in Karachi.[50] The MQM and PPP opposed Sharif widely due to his focus on beautifying Punjab and Kashmir while neglecting Sindh.[50] The MQM, a liberal force, also opposed Sharif's conservatism. The clash between liberalism and conservatism soon forces soon erupted in 1992 when political tension began to arise in which both party renegading ideological war against each other.[50] Despite MQM had formed government with Sharif, more and more problems were mounted between Sharif and the MQM in 1992.[50] Sharif's government members passed the resolution in the Parliament, to launch the paramilitary operation to end the cold war between PML-N and MQM.[50] During this time, the centre left Pakistan Peoples Party remained quiet and neutral while watching the impact of the cold war between liberal and conservative forces.[50] Prime minister Sharif also contended this upcoming operation with Chief of Army Staff General Asif Navaz over the paramilitary operation in Sindh Province (See Operation Clean-Up).[49] Launched in 1992, violence erupted in Karachi and brought an economic halt in the country that dismantle Sharif's industrialisation and investment that was being brought by Sharif.[50] Benazir Bhutto, during the course of this episode, remained silent as she too had opposed the MQM.[50] His operation continued by Benazir also, but due to amid pressure exerted by her brother Murtaza Bhutto, the operation came to halt.[50] The period of 1992–1994 is considered the bloodiest years in the history of the city, with many went missing.[50]
During his second term, Altaf Hussain decided to join with Sharif and tried to reach a compromise. Soon after the 1997 parliamentary elections, MQM joined with Sharif but this alliance fall apart following the assassination of Hakim Said.[50] Therefore, the Prime minister kicked the MQM out of the government on immediate effect and assumed the control of Karachi. MQM was forced to continued its political activities underground.[50] This action led Sharif to claim the exclusive mandate of entire Pakistan, and for the first time in his political career, Sharif and his party had the control of Sindh, Balochistan, Northwest Frontier, Kashmir and the Punjab Provinces.[50]
Industrialization and privatisation
Main articles: Spontaneous phase, Privatization Programme and Economic liberalisation in Pakistan
Shortly after assuming the office of prime minister, Sharif announced his economic policy under the programme called, the "National Economic Reconstruction Programme" (NERP).[46] This programme introduced an extreme level of the Western-styled capitalist economic system.[46]
Acknowledged since that the unemployment had become Pakistan's greatest disadvantage in economic growth and that only industrial and privatisation growth could solve the economic slow down.[46] An intensified Privatization Programme was commenced, embarked and presided by Sharif, in a vision to "turning Pakistan into a (South) Korea by encouraging greater private saving and investment to accelerate economic growth.".[51] In 1990, Sharif announced the nuclear policy and aimed to continue the peaceful atomic programme benefit for country's economic infrastructure. Sharif expanded and industrialised the nuclear energy program in entire country and peaceful and economic infrastructure was extensively built by him by the 1990s.[46] Many of the nuclear medicine and nuclear engineering projects were completed under his government as part of Sharif's Atoms for Peace program.
The privatisation programme came as a direct response to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the Peoples party led by Benazir and, for instance, Sharif's spontaneous privatisation programme was swift as nationalisation programme of peoples party in the 1970s.[52] However Prime minister Sharif lacked the charisma and personality of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto but countered Bhutto's ideology with full force, by imitating him.[52] During the period of 1990–93, around 115 nationalised industries were put under private-ownership management but this programme came with highest surrounding controversies with lacked competition as the programme was largely controlled by favoured insider.[52] The recklessness and favouritism shown in privatisation of the industrial and banking units by Prime minister Nawaz Sharif was to become the hallmark and the rise of strong business oligarch who have concentrated enormous assets, further increasing the wealth gap in Pakistan and contributing to the political instability.[52]
Privatization programme reached the GDP growth rate to 7.57% (1992) but dropped at 4.37% (1993; 1998).
Sharif also upgraded the Islamic laws such as Shariat Ordinance and Bait-ul-Maal (to help poor orphans widows) to drive the country on the model of an Islamic welfare state.[46] Sharif family was an affectee of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's nationalisation policy.[46] A number of important industries, such as Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation, and Pakistan State Oil were opened up to the private sector.[46] In 1990, Prime minister Sharif successfully privatised the National Development Finance Corporation[46]
He introduced and inaugurated several large-scale projects to stimulate the economy, such as the Ghazie-Barotah Hydropower plant and the.[46] However, unemployment remained a challenge, therefore Sharif imported thousands of privatised Yellow-cab taxis to many young Pakistanis, but this program came at a cost.[46] Few of the loans were repaid by the government and Sharif founded it difficult to privatised these taxis at low rate, since the young and poor could not afford at higher price.[46] However, Sharif indeed privatised these taxis at low rate and his steel industry was forced to pay the remaining cost.[46] During his first and second term, Sharif intensified his policies of industrialisation and privatisation of major industries that were nationalised by former Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[46] Undoing what was previously done in the 1970s remained a challenge for Sharif but, despite the economical slow down, Sharif reverted major policies of Bhutto and under short span of time, 90% of the industries were industrialised and privatised by him.[46] This radical move did had positive impact on country's economy and the economy progressed at an appropriate level.[46] Sharif policies were also continued by Benazir Bhutto, who nationalised only those industries that needed a government bail out plan, and by Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz in the 2000s who managed to privatised all of the major industries by the end his term in 2008.[46]
As his second term, Prime minister Sharif built the largest Pakistan first major motorway which is known as M2 Motorway (3MM), and it is often called as Autobahns of South Asia.[46] This semi-government and semi-privatized mega project was completed in November 1997 at a cost of US$989.12 million.[46] His critics questions the lay out of the highway due to excessive length, being away from the important cities and absence of link roads even with important towns. Furthermore, the funds originally allocated to the construction of Indus Highway linking Peshawar with Karachi were shifted to M2 Motorway thus benefiting his native Punjab and Kashmir provinces at the cost of other provinces. When the true nature of Sharif's motives were exposed, the people of other provinces were extremely displeased, leading to discordance and disharmony among provinces. The welfare of other provinces, notable Sindh and Balochistan Province, were not seriously taken by Sharif and his ruling chief ministers and people of these provinces were disenchanted with him. After the completion of this mega project, Sharif's policies were undermined by lack of capital for investments.[46] There was an influx of foreign capital when he loosened foreign exchange restrictions and opened Karachi Stock Exchange to foreign capital, but the government remained short of funds for investments.[46]
During his first term, Sharif focused his industrialisation on Punjab and Kashmir Provinces, mild and few projects were completed in Khyber and Balochistan provinces. While, the Sindh Province did not benefit with his industrialisation.[46] After receiving intense criticism by Pakistan Peoples Party and the liberal-secular Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM), Sharif launched the Orangi Cottage Industrial Zone which was completed and finally inaugurated by him.[46] However, prime minister's reputation in Sindh was widely damaged because of his focused on beautifying Lahore and Kashmir while he neglected other provinces.[46] Sharif's industrialisation are also target by his opponents as it was focused and circled only on Punjab and Kashmir, Sharif's native provinces.[53] His opponents argued that Sharif, as prime minister, obtained permits for building factories for himself and his business.[46] Sharif is also blamed for expanding and finance Armed Forces' secretive industrial conglomerate and, is also blamed for bribing the generals to protected himself.[53] Sharif gave strong and vehement criticism to former Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's socialist economics policies, as citing as "lamentable state of Pakistan".[53] His privatisation policies were staunchly criticised by former science advisor Dr. Mubashir Hassan, calling it Sharif's privatisation "unconstitutional".[53] Other PPP members also stood the fact that nationalisation measures were protected by the Parliament who gave this policy a constitutional picture and status. The Peoples Party felt the privatisation policies where illegal and taking place with out parliamentary approval and parliament was not taken in confidence.[53]
By the end of the second term of Sharif government, the economy in a turmoil that damaged Sharif's credibility. Facing serious structural issues and financial problems, the inflation and the foreign debt stood at an all-time high and the unemployment that reached at its highest point in the history of Pakistan. Pakistan had debts $32bn against reserves of little more than $1bn. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had suspended aid demanding the country finances are sorted out. Sharif attempted to control the Stock Exchanges under government's control, but that move backfired brutally on Sharif and by the time Sharif was deposed, the country was heading for a financial default.
Science policy
Sharif authorised the establishment of the Jinnah Antarctic Station in 1991.
Sharif took steps for intense government control of science in Pakistan and the projects needed his authorisation.[54] In 1991, Sharif founded and authorised the Pakistan Antarctic Programme under the scientific directions of National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), with the Pakistan Navy's Weapons Engineering Division, and first established the Jinnah Antarctic Station and the Polar Research Cell. In 1992, Pakistan became an Associate Member of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research which was signed by his Science Adviser Munir Ahmed Khan at United Nations. As like Benazir, the ongoing nuclear weapons and the energy program remained one of his top priority.[54] Sharif countered the international pressure, and followed the same suit as Benazir's, and refused to make compromise to halt the program despite the United States having offered a large economic aid to Pakistan.[54] Unlike Benazir, Sharif's nuclear policy was seen less aggressive towards India and focused the atomic programme for the benefit of public usage and civil society. Unlike Benazir's nuclear policy, his set forth nuclear policy was to build civil and peaceful nuclear power, and with that vision, Sharif intensively used the integrated atomic programme for medical and economic purposes. His nuclear policy was viewed by experts as vintage Atoms for Peace program— the United States' 1950s program to use the nuclear energy for civil purposes, and to promote peaceful nuclear technology in the world as well.
In 1993, Sharif authorised to establish the Institute of Nuclear Engineering (INE) and promoted his policy for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. On 28 July 1997, Sharif declared 1997 a year of science in Pakistan, and personally allotted funds for the 22nd INSC College on Theoretical Physics. In 1999, Sharif signed the executive decree, declaring the day of 28 May as the National Science Day in Pakistan.
Nuclear policy
On 7 November 1990, the newly elected prime minister announced his nuclear policy and in public television, Sharif responded that: "The peaceful [atomic] programme of which... it would be accelerated to accommodate growing [nuclear] [e]nergy needs and to make up for rising [oil] prices. And, of course, (Pakistan) will to construct new nuclear power plants."[55] On 26 November, Sharif authorised talks with the US to solve the nuclear crises after the US had tightened its embargo on Pakistan, prompting Sharif to send his government's Treasure Minister Sartaj Aziz to held talks on Washington.[55] It was widely reported in Pakistan that the US Assistant Secretary of State Teresita Schaffer had told the Foreign Minister Shahabzada Yaqub Khan to halt the uranium enrichment programme.[55]
In December, France's Commissariat à l'énergie