Shehbaz Sharif’s biggest challenge will be to undo Imran Khan’s bombast politics in Pakistan will be to undo Imran Khan’s bombast politics in Pakistan

 

Shehbaz Sharif’s Biggest Challenge

A new prime minister was sworn in this week in Pakistan, and the man taking the oath of office, Shehbaz Sharif, has some pretty big shoes to fill. Yes, his party, the Pakistan Muslim League (N), won the most seats in the July 25 general election, but that victory didn’t come easy—they had to rely on alliances with other parties, including one led by opposition leader Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). And Shehbaz Sharif’s biggest challenge will be to undo the divisive politics of his predecessor and political opponent Imran Khan.

Law & Order

In Pakistan, there is almost always a rulebook to be followed. However, when it comes to politics, most of these rules are thrown out of window and replaced with unsaid norms. As previous experience in law enforcement must have taught PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif that for leadership positions in Pakistan, one needs to know what has been agreed upon beforehand.

Energy Crisis

The energy crisis in Pakistan is arguably one of Shehbaz Sharif’s biggest challenges. In a country where electricity cuts can reach 16 hours a day, and costs have gone up 400 percent since 2007, it will take much more than good intentions to fix what ails Pakistan’s energy sector. Here are some steps he could take to regain control of — and increase investment in — one of Pakistan’s most broken areas.

Balochistan & CPEC

Balochistan is a strategically important province that neighbors Afghanistan and Iran. Its key importance lies in its close proximity to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. Balochistan is host to several projects under CPEC, including Port Qasim, Gwadar New Seaport and energy project such as Pak-Iran gas pipeline, Rahimyar Khan coal power plant, KSA petrochemical plant. Moreover, CPEC is also a development game changer for Pakistan.

PoK and Kashmir

Pakistan claims most of Kashmir as its own territory, something India has consistently denied. The Line of Control (LoC) serves as a nominal border between Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. A part of Kashmir that borders China is controlled by China. The largest part, held by Pakistan, is called Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Tensions between India and Pakistan rose after both tested nuclear weapons in 1998, and conflict remains a threat.