What You Need to Know About Pakistans New Prime Minister
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a politician educated in the United States, was elected prime minister of Pakistan on Tuesday. Parliament held a special election to replace his predecessor and mentor, who was disqualified on corruption charges.
Here is what you need to know about Pakistan’s new leader.
A steadfast ally of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Mr. Abbasi, 58, was named interim prime minister last week after the Supreme Court disqualified Mr. Sharif from office and he was forced to resign.
Mr. Abbasi has gone to prison for his political patron. He spent two years behind bars after a 1999 coup, in which Mr. Sharif was overthrown by Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Mr. Abbasi at the time was pressured by the military to testify against Mr. Sharif, but he refused and was jailed. He was later acquitted.
That loyalty to Mr. Sharif was later repaid with a high-profile cabinet position when the ousted leader returned to power in 2013. It is assumed that Mr. Abbasi is holding the office until Mr. Sharif’s brother Shehbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab Province, wins a seat in Parliament in a coming by-election and can become prime minister.'>>>
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/01/world/asia/shahid-khaqan-abbasi-pakistan-prime-minister.html?
