page_title: Nawaz Sharif
section_title: Muslim world
hierarchical_section_title: Nawaz Sharif / Third term as prime minister (2013–2017) / Foreign policy / Muslim world
caption_attribution_description: English: Hassan Rouhani in meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Saadabad Palace, Tehran
context_page_description: Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani businessman and politician who served as the prime minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. Sharif is the longest-serving prime minister of Pakistan having served a total of more than 9 years.
  Born into the upper-middle class Sharif family in Lahore, Sharif is the son of Muhammad Sharif, the founder of Ittefaq and Sharif Group. He is the elder brother of Shehbaz Sharif, who also served as the chief minister of Punjab. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Sharif is the one of the wealthiest men in Pakistan, with an estimated net worth of at least 1.6 billion Pakistani rupees. Most of Sharif's wealth originates from his businesses in steel construction.
  Before entering politics in the 1970s, Sharif studied business at Government College and law at the University of Punjab. In 1981, Sharif was appointed by President Zia as the minister of finance for the province of Punjab. Backed by a loose coalition of conservatives, Sharif was elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab in 1985 and re-elected after the end of martial law in 1988.
context_section_description: Sharif is said to enjoy exceptionally close ties with senior members of the Saudi royal family. Pakistan Today reported on 2 April 2014 that Pakistan will sell JF-17 Thunder jets to Saudi Arabia, after the kingdom had given a grant of US$1.5 billion to Pakistan in early 2014.
  Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud arrived in Pakistan on 15 February to meet Sharif and vowed to enhance work between the two countries. Sharif travelled to Saudi Arabia for the last 10 days of Ramadan. King Abdullah said on 26 July that Saudi Arabia would always stand by Pakistan, its leadership and people, after an hour-long meeting with Sharif at his Riyadh. Sharif also met Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, while Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud referred to Pakistan as his second home.
  Al-Monitor reported on 15 March 2015 that the Salman of Saudi Arabia wanted firm assurances from Sharif that Pakistan would align itself with Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Arab allies against Iran, especially in the proxy war underway in Yemen. Salman specifically wanted a Pakistani military contingent to deploy to the kingdom to defend the borders. Sharif promised closer counter-terrorism and military co-operation but no troops for the immediate future. On 11 January 2016, Time stated that a high-level Iranian delegation including Adel al-Jubeir and Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud had travelled to Islamabad to seek Pakistan's inclusion in the 34-country "Islamic military alliance". However, Sharif struck a more conciliatory tone, suggesting that Islamabad would mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran. On 19 January 2016, Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif embarked on a peace mission to Riyadh and Tehran to reduce tensions which had escalated with the execution of Sheikh Nimr. On 16 March 2016, Zee News claimed that Saudi Arabia was creating a military alliance of Islamic countries along the lines of the NATO, and wished Pakistan to lead it.
  Sharif supported the Saudi-led intervention in Bahrain and in his visit to Saudi Arabia he reassured that he would "help devise a new battle plan for Saudi intervention in the country."
caption: Sharif met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Saadabad Palace.
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