‘Justice, Peace, Prosperity’
Symbol: Lion
President: Nawaz Sharif
Bias: Centre-right, fiscal conservative, largest conservative political force and second largest political party
Chairman: Raja Zafar ul Haq
Secretary-General: Iqbal Zafar Jhagra
Founder: Fida Mohammad Khan
Founded: November 16, 1988 preceded by the Pakistan Muslim League
Stronghold: Punjab
Analysis: Nawaz Sharif, the front-runner. He has matured a lot since his last stint in power and subsequent ignominious exit. He has (belatedly) identified the army as the main threat to the democratic process, and his record since 2008 as leader of the opposition suggests a commitment to strengthening democracy, possibly at the military’s expense. He has also shown a commitment to economic growth, and fairly or unfairly, has Punjab’s affluence and vitality to show for it. The Sharif brothers are shrewd politicians, mixing good governance (a quick glance at Lahore provides a well-run, well-tended city), feudalism (they still cater to the land and factory owners of Northern Punjab) and old-fashioned pandering (the free laptop scheme implemented last year). In maintaining close, if questionable, ties with right wing, religious parties, Sharif has avoided the ‘secular’ tag, which in Pakistan today is a pejorative term. This bodes ill for persecuted minorities such as Ahmedis and Shias, let alone Hindus and Christians that have all experienced heightened attacks by extremist organizations on the loose. At the same time, he is committed to the peace process with India, and will be careful not to make the same mistakes that he did with Kargil in 1999. With a focus on the economy, one may expect a renewed focus on bringing GDP growth back to the 6% averages before the recession, if not for the country, then at least for his industrialist constituents.