When Shahid Khaqan Abbasi joined politics in the late 1980s, he may not have dreamed of becoming the Prime Minister of Pakistan, a country whose politics was dominated by the generals, the Sharifs and the Bhuttos. Almost three decades later, with generals in the barracks, the Bhuttos in the Opposition and the Sharifs fighting corruption cases, Mr. Abbasi, an engineer-turned-entrepreneur-turned politician, is leading the Pakistani government.
Why is his job tough?
Mr. Abbasi was picked by Nawaz Sharif after he resigned as Prime Minister following his disqualification last August by the Supreme Court over a corruption case. Ever since he has tried to portray a robust stable picture of governance in a country that has a long history of military coups. But despite his efforts, his government was rocked by a host of challenges, including a massive Islamist protest on the outskirts of Islamabad that brought the capital to a standstill for days in November, and increasing tension on the border with India. The latest and perhaps one of the greatest foreign policy challenges in recent history is Washington’s decision to take a tougher line towards Islamabad over its dealings with terrorist groups.
How will he handle it?
Mr. Abbasi is not Mr. Sharif. Even his hardcore supporters will agree that the Prime Minister does not have the charisma of his predecessor and long-time mentor. Besides, it is Mr. Sharif who controls the ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The reduced stature of the Prime Minister in the complex polity of Pakistan, where multiple institutions hold unchecked power and influence, means his challenges are greater. But Mr. Abbasi is not a pushover either.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi listens during an interview in Islamabad on January 22, 2018.
He joined politics after his father, a Minister in General Zia ul-Haq’s government, was killed in an explosion in Rawalpindi in 1988. When he was asked by the Army, after the 1999 coup against Sharif, to issue a testimony against the ousted Prime Minister for attempted hijacking of a plane with Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the coup leader, he refused. He was thrown into prison and charged, along with Mr. Sharif, with hijacking the plane and attempted murder. Mr. Abbasi chose to fight the case in court rather than betray his mentor. He was acquitted after two years. Before the coup, he was the chairman of the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). After he was freed, Mr. Abbasi set up a private airline, Air Blue, which is the country’s most successful private airline and a challenger to the PIA. When Mr. Sharif returned to Pakistan and contested elections, he joined him and became a Cabinet Minister. Now, his job is to lead the country through turbulent times.
What about ties with U.S.?
Over the years, several American Presidents have threatened to act against Pakistan over its dealings with terrorist groups, especially the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani networks. They, however, continued their cooperation with Pakistan, because the U.S. wanted Pakistan’s help to fight terrorists in the region. But President Donald Trump signalled taking tough measures against Islamabad and withheld security assistance to Pakistan. India has also repeatedly raised the issue of the release of Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, from house arrest. What adds to the pressure on Islamabad is the continuous accusations by the Afghan government that militants trained in Pakistan are carrying out attacks in Afghanistan. Last week, an Afghan delegation, comprising the Interior Minister and the intelligence chief, travelled to Pakistan to hand over evidence.
But Mr. Abbasi continues to shrug off the U.S.’s pressure tactics, ignore Afghanistan’s accusations and counter India’s complaints. In an interview early last month, he said the American aid for Pakistan was insignificant. In another interview, he said: “There is no case against Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan and no action can be taken against him.” This suggests he follows the Army’s script on foreign policy. But with Afghanistan coming under continuing attacks and the U.S. desperate to bring some stability in the country, Washington may resort to steps it has so far avoided in dealing with Islamabad. The question that needs to be answered is how Mr. Abbasi and his generals are going to address it.
