Shehbaz Sharif

Force in Play

Announced on June 12 that the US and Iran had reached the final agreed text of the Islamabad Declaration; Pakistan serving as lead mediator in US-Iran talks

On June 12, Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif announced the US and Iran had agreed on the final text of the Islamabad Declaration — a 60-day memorandum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and open nuclear talks. The Times of Israel reported the MOU would cover Lebanon in the ceasefire, a provision Netanyahu reportedly learned about through unofficial channels rather than from Washington.

Updated 2 days ago

Force in Play

Confirmed June 13 that both sides agreed on the Islamabad Declaration's final text; Pakistan preparing for a possible electronic signing ceremony within 24 hours

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said June 13 that both sides had agreed on the Islamabad Declaration's final text. A signing was expected within 24 hours, with Pakistan preparing for a possible electronic ceremony. Iran's foreign ministry ruled out Sunday but left Monday or Tuesday open.

Updated 3 days ago

Force in Play

Managing domestic unrest while balancing ties with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United States

Pakistan has the second-largest Shia Muslim population on earth — roughly 30 million people. On February 28, joint United States-Israeli airstrikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Within hours, grief and fury erupted in every major Pakistani city.

Updated May 30

Force in Play

Leading peace talks delegation in China, demanding TTP crackdown

Pakistan and Afghanistan are in their most intense military confrontation since the Taliban took power in 2021. On March 17, 2026, Pakistan struck a 2,000-bed hospital in Kabul, killing approximately 400 people and injuring nearly 250 — the conflict's deadliest single incident, according to Afghan officials.

Updated May 29

Force in Play

Serving as Prime Minister; condemned attack as 'cowardly act of terrorism'

Pakistan had not seen a suicide bombing in its capital since 2016. That changed in November 2025, when an attacker killed 12 outside an Islamabad court. On February 6, 2026, a suicide bomber killed 31 at the Shia Khadija Tul Kubra mosque during Friday prayers, wounding 169 more — the deadliest since the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing that killed 63.

Updated May 27

Force in Play

In office

On May 24 and 25, 2026, the BLA struck Quetta on consecutive days, killing at least 53 people. A suicide car bomb detonated next to a passenger train; the following day, a car-park explosion hit the railway station.

Updated May 26

Rule Changes

Approved high-level organizing committee for 2026 Games

Pakistan last hosted a major regional sporting event in 2004. Twenty-two years later, Lahore opened the 14th South Asian Games on January 23, 2026, welcoming over 3,500 athletes from eight nations to compete across 27 sports through February 6. The Games mark Pakistan's first hosting outside Islamabad and its third overall, following the 1989 and 2004 editions.

Updated May 23

Force in Play

Announced the April 8 US-Iran ceasefire; continuing to mediate stalled talks as Pakistani forces remain in Saudi Arabia

Pakistan sent about 8,000 troops, 16 JF-17 fighter jets, two drone squadrons, and a Chinese HQ-9 air defense system to Saudi Arabia in early April. Reuters and Bloomberg confirmed the deployment on May 18. The forces arrived during active fighting; on April 8, Pakistan announced a ceasefire that both Washington and Tehran credited.

Updated May 19

Force in Play

Leading coalition government

Pakistan's former cricket star turned prime minister has been behind bars since August 2023, facing more than 200 criminal cases. In January 2025, a court sentenced him to 14 years for the Al-Qadir Trust case—bringing his total prison time to over 30 years across multiple convictions. On December 21, 2024, he received 17 years for selling state gifts including Saudi jewelry far below market value. His wife, a spiritual healer who influenced his government from behind closed doors, faces concurrent sentences totaling 24 years. Both have been blocked from meeting lawyers to sign appeals, and the UN has condemned Khan's detention conditions as torture.

Updated May 16