On 3 March 2024, Sharif was re-elected as prime minister of Pakistan for a second term after a controversial general election, as he received 201 votes against 92 votes for the PTI candidate,
Omar Ayub Khan. He formed a
minority government with the
Pakistan People's Party,
Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan, the
Pakistan Muslim League (Q), the
Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, and the
Balochistan Awami Party.
Economy and Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the 17th summit of the
Economic Cooperation Organization, July 2025 Immediately after his swearing-in ceremony, Sharif directed preparations for a national action plan to amplify economic revival. As a part of this plan, Sharif initiated talks with the IMF for a loan agreement and ordered the
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to clear tax refunds worth Rs. 65 billion. He also stated that state-owned institutions that caused heavy losses for the government would be privatised, and that the gas sector would adopt
smart metering to reduce line losses. Sharif appointed
Muhammad Aurangzeb, former president of
Habib Bank Limited and
JPMorgan banker, as
finance minister. Sharif's government negotiated a bailout agreement with the IMF in July 2024, and secured a $7 billion loan from the IMF in September 2024. However, the government raised taxes by 40% as a part of a new tax scheme to comply with strict IMF regulations. Despite the rise of taxes for Pakistan's middle class, Sharif failed to cut state expenses after a new fiscal year in July 2024. The government also included private companies into the new tax scheme, bumping up exporters' tax rate from 1% to 29%, in addition to a corporate tax of 30%, the highest in South Asia. Sharif's government created a comprehensive
five-year plan for economic development, titled the “
Uraan Pakistan: Homegrown National Economic Plan.” As a part of this plan, the government vowed to enhance export-led growth, expand the digital and technology sectors, and address economic challenges through what it described as the "five Es: Exports; E-Pakistan; Equity and Empowerment; Environment, Food and Water Security; and Energy and Infrastructure." The plan also established quantitative targets, particularly achieving a 6% annual GDP growth by 2028, the creation of 1 million jobs per year, boosting exports to $60 billion annually by 2028, and $10 billion worth of private investment annually. The plan also envisaged Pakistan to emerge as a
trillion dollar economy by 2035. Despite big claims of austerity, Sharif's government has increased the salaries of ministers and advisers by 188%, to Rs519,000 per month while the common public was struggling financially and being told to spend less. Sharif's government has undertaken the privatisation of over 50
state-owned enterprises (SOEs), except "strategic ones," in three phases within the next four years of office, beginning in May 2025. The large-scale privatisation of SOEs was a recommendation by the IMF because these SOEs hold sizeable assets in Pakistan; however, they have low employment and are cash-bleeding with over half of SOEs in Pakistan operating at a loss. That month, inflation slowed down to 3.5%. In March 2026, Sharif announced emergency energy-saving measures, including a four-day work week and school closures, in response to
rising global fuel prices caused by the
U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Youth empowerment Sharif's government has promoted youth empowerment and entrepreneurship. On
International Youth Day in 2024, Sharif announced an Rs.100 billion boost for over 300,000 young entrepreneurs as a part of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme, in addition to the launch of several youth empowerment schemes. He also announced that the government would provide 1 million smartphones, tablets, and laptops to students across the country on the basis of merit, alongside personally funding the education of 1,000 graduates of
agriculture in China. Sharif also created a youth employment action plan across Pakistan. As a part of this plan, a laptop scheme provided over 600,000 laptops on the basis of merit to young Pakistanis, in addition to youth training initiatives across 268 universities across the country under the Prime Minister Green Youth Program. Sharif also formed the
National Youth Council, composed of 113 youth representatives (aged 10–29), aimed at amplifying youth development and integrating young Pakistanis into policy-making.
Healthcare On
World Health Day in 2024, Sharif vowed to expand medical facilities across Pakistan to be accessible for all people, partnering with provincial governments to upgrade and establish medical facilities, launch mobile health clinics, and ensure cost-free treatment for lower-and-middle class families. Sharif also ordered the use of advanced technology to advance digitised health reforms across the country, alongside the creation of oversight mechanisms to crack down on healthcare violations. with Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev and United Nations Secretary-General
António Guterres in
Baku, November 2024
Environment At the
2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference in
Baku in November 2024, Sharif presented Pakistan’s priorities for climate, emphasising the need for global "climate justice." Moreover, he revealed his government's National Climate Finance Strategy (NCFS), which sought to reduce Pakistan's greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of the national economy, leveraging 60% of clean energy resources, and shifting 30% of vehicles to
electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030.
Constitutional changes In September 2024, Sharif's government announced a "Constitutional Package" which would create a new
Federal Constitutional Court. This new court would handle petitions pertaining strictly to interpretations of constitutional clauses. The package also included raising the retirement age of judges in the proposed Constitutional Court to 68, while other judges in Pakistan are required to retire by 65. The package also included a clause that would rule individual legislators' votes against their respective parties as void. In October 2024, Parliament passed the
Twenty-sixth Amendment, which expanded parliamentary powers, particularly allowing a parliamentary committee to select the Supreme Court's chief justice. The new amendment was heavily criticised as attacking judicial independence, particularly amplifying judicial action against the PTI and other political opponents. According to the
New York City Bar Association, the amendment undermined the
separation of powers and judicial independence in Pakistan, hindering the impartiality of the judiciary. In November 2025, Parliament passed the
twenty-seventh Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan proposed by Sharif's government, which asserted the authority of the Federal Constitutional Court—in which judges are selected by the executive branch, and modified Pakistan's military structure. The amendment created the post of
Chief of Defence Forces—given to Field Marshal
Asim Munir—which oversees all three branches of the
Pakistan Armed Forces, and provides Munir with lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution. She described the amendment as a "constitutional surrender." The launch of the operation came amidst a rise in terrorism in Pakistan in the aftermath of the
Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, with militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban taking shelter in
Afghanistan to use it as a base for attacks on Pakistani security forces. Sharif's government has
repeatedly accused India of financially supporting the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups that operate in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
Balochistan, describing the Pakistani Taliban as
Fitna-al-khawarij () and Baloch rebel groups as
Fitna-al-Hindustan (). Sharif condemned the
hijacking of the Jaffar Express on 11 March 2025, describing it as a 'cowardly act.' He stated that the perpetrators, whom he identified as members of the
Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), were enemies of the province's development and reaffirmed the government's resolve to eliminate terrorism from the region. Sharif's government's continued and expanded the
deportation of undocumented Afghans from Pakistan that first began under the
Anwaar ul Haq Kakar caretaker government in December 2023, citing these undocumented Afghans as a security threat. As of late 2025, the UNHCR confirmed that more than one million Afghans have returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan in 2025. Following directives from Sharif's government, this campaign has expanded beyond undocumented individuals to include holders of Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) and Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, with thousands of arrests reported monthly in early 2026.
Democratic backsliding at the
2024 Astana SCO summit in Astana, Kazakhstan Immediately after becoming prime minister for his second term, PTI supporters across Pakistan began major protests and demonstrations on 11 March, calling for Sharif's removal from office on allegations of electoral rigging in the 2024 general election. These protests also called for the restoration of the PTI's "stolen mandate" and the release of senior PTI leaders, including Imran Khan and
Shah Mahmood Qureshi. In response to these protests, the
Pakistani police launched a large-scale national crackdown, arresting and attacking PTI protestors. On 15 July 2024, Information Minister
Attaullah Tarar announced that the government was considering a ban on the PTI, citing the violent
2023 Pakistani protests and the PTI allegedly "leaking classified information." The plan to ban the PTI received large-scale backlash from both inside Pakistan and internationally, with several prominent politicians, journalists, and lawyers condemning the move. According to the
Brookings Institution, the move against the PTI revealed the government's "weakness and political insecurity," and the move comes during a period where the
judiciary of Pakistan is experiencing increasing state pressure to crack down on political opposition. Sharif's government continued the unofficial ban on social media platform
Twitter (X) imposed by the
Kakar caretaker government, and installed an internet
firewall. The firewall was created by the government in order to block content that it deemed as
propaganda. The firewall was widely criticised for
censorship. Furthermore, the internet firewall project was estimated to cost $300 Million. The firewall negatively affected businesses in Pakistan.
Civil-military relations at the
White House, September 2025 During his premiership, Sharif has maintained positive relations with the
Pakistani military. Sharif publicly stated that his government and the military were “on the same page” regarding all key national issues, including national security, counterterrorism, and economic development. Sharif developed a particularly cordial relationship with Chief of Army Staff
Asim Munir, describing his relationship with the army as a "role model" for the future. The two leaders held multiple joint meetings on national security and foreign policy, including consultations on Pakistan’s response to India following the
2025 India–Pakistan conflict. In May 2025, the federal cabinet approved Munir’s promotion to the rank of
Field Marshal, citing his “decisive leadership” during the conflict. The promotion ceremony, attended by both Sharif and President
Asif Ali Zardari, was held at the
Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad, where Munir was formally conferred the baton of Field Marshal. Sharif’s cooperative stance with the military was seen as an effort to maintain political stability and avoid confrontation with the country's powerful
military establishment. His government’s approach was described by Defence Minister
Khawaja Asif as a “hybrid model” of governance, combining civilian and military decision-making in national and economic affairs.
Foreign policy Middle East in New York City to discuss the
Gaza war, September 2025Sharif's first foreign visit during his second premiership was to Saudi Arabia in 2024, where he met Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman. As a part of this meeting, Sharif and bin Salman agreed to extradite the first wave of a $5 billion Saudi investment package to Pakistan. In September 2025, Sharif announced the creation of the
Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, a mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, in the aftermath of the
Israeli attack on Doha earlier that month; however, the Saudi government stated the agreement was a result of "years of discussions" rather than a response to a recent regional development. Sharif also met with Iranian President
Ebrahim Raisi in April 2024, vowing to strengthen economic and security cooperation in the aftermath of a short
tit-for-tat conflict between the two nations in January of that year. In June 2025, Sharif expressed his support for
Iran amidst the
Iran–Israel war. Sharif emphasised warm relations with the
United Arab Emirates, meeting with UAE President
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on several occasions. Sharif and bin Zayed agreed to enhance Emirati investments in Pakistan. In May 2024, bin Zayed committed to invest $10 billion in Pakistan. and Supreme Leader
Ali Khamenei in Tehran, May 2025 In November 2025, Sharif welcomed King
Abdullah II of
Jordan to Pakistan on a two-day visit, inviting him to the
Global Industrial Defence Solutions in
Rawalpindi for a review of Pakistan's indigenous defence production and potential bilateral military cooperation. Sharif repeatedly condemned Israel's
war in Gaza—which he described as a
genocide—expressing sympathy with the
Palestinian people and support for an independent
Palestinian state. In September 2025, he expressed strong support for
Donald Trump's Gaza Strip proposal, calling it "a vital step towards peace in the Middle East." Sharif also praised Trump’s leadership and the efforts of US Special Envoy
Steve Witkoff in resolving the conflict. In response, Trump commended Sharif, saying he "fully support[s] the plan 100 per cent." In February 2026, Sharif condemned U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the
Assassination of Ali Khamenei, describing the event as a violation of international law. On 12 March, Sharif met with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah to express Pakistan's solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the wake of
Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia. On 8 April, Pakistan brokered a
two-week temporary ceasefire between Iran and the United States. Sharif welcomed high-level delegations from both countries, including U.S. Vice President
JD Vance, to Islamabad for peace talks on 11 April, which ultimately failed the next day. of Turkey and
Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to commemorate the anniversary of the
Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in Baku, November 2025
Turkey and Azerbaijan Sharif attended a trilateral summit between Pakistan,
Turkey, and
Azerbaijan, in
Lachin, Azerbaijan. Sharif thanked both nations for their diplomatic and moral support for Pakistan during the 2025 conflict with India, and vowed greater cooperation. Moreover Sharif's government enhanced military cooperation between the three countries. For instance, in January 2025, Pakistan and Turkiye agreed to establish and operate a joint facility for
TAI TF Kaan fighter jets. In November 2025, Sharif attended a victory parade in Baku to mark the 5th anniversary of the
Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, describing the Azerbaijani "liberation" of
Nagorno-Karabakh as a beacon of hope for both the people of
Palestine and
Indian-administered Kashmir which he described as "occupied nations."
United States at the
White House, September 2025 In April 2025, Sharif met with a United States delegation led by Eric Meyer, Senior Bureau Official for the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, and announced that US companies seek to invest in Pakistan's untapped minerals. Sharif also emphasised the cruciality of American mediation in de-escalating the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, with the Pakistani government nominating
Donald Trump for the
Nobel Peace Prize for his role in mediating an end to the conflict. Trump also met with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff
Asim Munir in June 2025, signalling a major thaw in relations between the two countries. In July, Sharif's government negotiated a trade deal with the US which included American investment in Pakistan's crude oil reserves in its territorial waters. The deal also included partnerships in
cryptocurrency and
information technology. In September 2025, Sharif attended a conference with Muslim leaders and Trump on the sidelines of the
Eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly to establish an end to the
Gaza war. In the same month, Sharif visited the
White House and met with Trump. During the October 2025
Gaza Peace Summit, Sharif announced his intention to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for a second time. In January 2026, Sharif announced Pakistan's acceptance of an American invitation to join the
Board of Peace for the reconstruction of the
Gaza Strip following the Gaza war.
China of Russia,
Xi Jinping of China, and
Kim Jong Un of North Korea for the
China Victory Day Parade, September 2025Sharif's government pledged to revive the stagnating CPEC through cooperation on infrastructure and mining. This desire to amplify cooperation comes amidst increasing attacks on Chinese workers in Pakistan by militant groups aiming at disrupting CPEC, which has affected China-Pakistan relations. However, China's significant defence cooperation with Pakistan contributed to Pakistan downing Western-manufactured Indian aircraft, particularly a
Rafale, during its 2025 conflict against India.
South Asia during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad, October 2024 In October 2024, Sharif hosted Indian External Affairs Minister
S. Jaishankar at the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Islamabad, marking the first such visit since 2015. Relations between India and Pakistan subsequently deteriorated following an April 2025
militant attack in
Pahalgam,
Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistan, a charge that Sharif's government denied. The following crisis led to reciprocal diplomatic measures, including the suspension of the
Indus Waters Treaty and
Simla Agreement by India and Pakistan, respectively. In May 2025, Sharif oversaw Pakistan's response to Indian military strikes through the launch of
Operation Bunyan un-Marsoos against Indian military sites, after which both sides declared a ceasefire. Sharif later declared victory over India and designated 16 May as
Youm-e-Tashakur ('Day of Gratitude'), though the conflict produced no clear winner. Sharif met with Bangladeshi Chief Adviser
Muhammad Yunus in December 2024 during a
Developing-8 summit in
Cairo, the first meeting between Pakistani and Bangladeshi senior leaders since the
July Revolution in Bangladesh. Sharif sought to bolster ties with Bangladesh, launching direct cargo shipments from Pakistan to
Chittagong Port and offering 300 scholarships to Bangladeshi students. Sharif sought to improve relations with
Afghanistan while urging its government to take action against the
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan accuses of operating from Afghan territory. In March 2024, he authorised
airstrikes in Eastern Afghanistan targeting TTP strongholds. While addressing the
eightieth session of the UNGA, Sharif publicly claimed that Pakistan faced problems from terrorist groups operating from "Afghan soil." In October 2025, Sharif oversaw Pakistani
military operations against both the
Afghan Taliban and the TTP as the Pakistani military struck Afghan border posts and cities, including
Kabul and
Kandahar. == Public image ==