''Sharīf'' ( /šarīf/) or Chérif is a traditional Arab tribal title given to those who serve as the protector of the tribe and all tribal assets, such as property, wells, and land. In origin, the word is an adjective meaning "noble", "highborn". The feminine singular is sharifa(h) (/šarīfa/). The masculine plural is Ashraf (/ašrāf/).

Primarily Sunnis in the Arab world reserve the term ''sharif'' for descendants of Hasan ibn Ali, while ''sayyid'' is used for descendants of Husayn ibn Ali. Both Hasan and Husayn are grandchildren of Prophet Muhammad, through the marriage of his cousin Ali and his daughter Fatima. However ever since the post-Hashemite era began, the term ''sayyid'' has been used to denote descendants from both Hasan and Husayn. Arab Shiites use the terms ''sayyid'' and ''habib'' to denote descendants from both Hasan and Husayn; see also ashraf.

From 1201 until the Hejaz was conquered by Ibn Saud in 1925, this family held the office of the Sharīf of Mecca, often also carrying the title and office of King of Hejaz. Descendants now rule the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the name being taken from the Banu Hashim, the sub-tribe of Banu Quraish, to which Prophet Muhammad belonged.

In Morocco, several of the regnal dynasties have been qualified as "Sharifian", being descendants of Prophet Muhammad. The Saadian dynasty was issued from the Sharifian tribe of the Banu Said. Today's Alaouite dynasty is also considered to be Sharifian.

The word has no etymological connection with the English term ''sheriff'', which comes from the Old English word ''scīrgerefa'', meaning "shire-reeve", the local reeve (enforcement agent) of the king in the shire (county). Sharif, however, is the Arabic/Persian word for "honorable". ‎

See also

Sharīf of Mecca

Sharif Khan

Sayyid

Ashraf

Notes

Category:Arabic words and phrases Category:Hashemite people Category:Islamic honorifics Category:Titles Category:Titles in Pakistan

ar:أشراف az:Şərif (dəqiqləşdirmə) ca:Xerif de:Scherif es:Jerife fr:Chérif it:Sharif he:שריף (אסלאם) lv:Šarifs nl:Sjarief pt:Xerife (Islão) ru:Шериф (ислам) fi:Šarif sv:Sharif tr:Şerif (din)

name	Rizwan Khan
birth date
birth place	Aden, South Yemen
education	University of Wales Medical Physiology (B.Sc.) University of Portsmouth Radio Journalism (B.A.)
occupation	Reporter and Anchor at Al Jazeera
years active
website	}}

Rizwan "Riz" Khan (born April 1962) is a British television news reporter and interviewer who until April 2011 hosted his own eponymous television show on Al Jazeera English. He first rose to prominence while working for the BBC and CNN.

Life and career

Khan was born in Aden, South Yemen, to a Punjabi father and Gujarati mother. His father's roots hail from Pakistan-administered Kashmir while his mother's roots go back to Kutch, Gujarat. He considers himself as a British Pakistani. Khan moved with his family to London, at the age of four. He attended both Springwell Junior and Hounslow Manor Comprehensive Schools and joined the Air Training Corps, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Medical Physiology from the University of Wales, and then completed a postgraduate course in Radio Journalism at the University of Portsmouth.

In 1987 he was selected for the BBC News Trainee scheme - a two-year BBC training system, usually taking only 6 people per course. Khan progressed to jobs as a BBC reporter, producer, and writer, working in both television and radio, and would later become one of the founding News Presenters on BBC World Service Television News. He hosted the news bulletin that launched BBC World Service Television News in 1991. In 1993, he moved to CNN International, where he became a senior anchor for the network's global news shows. Events he covered included the 1996 and 1999 coverage of elections in India; the 1997 historic election in Britain; and in April 1998 the unprecedented live coverage from the Muslim pilgrimage, the Hajj.

In 1996 he launched his interactive interview show ''CNN: Q&A; with Riz Khan'', and he has conducted interviews with guests including former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former US Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela, and genomic scientist J. Craig Venter. Khan also secured the world exclusive with Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf following his coup in October 1999. Khan also hosted ''Q&A-Asia; with Riz Khan''. These interactive shows put world newsmakers and celebrities up for viewer questions live by phone, e-mail, video-mail and fax, along with questions and comments taken from the real-time chatroom that opens half-an-hour before each show.

Khan hosted his show, ''Riz Khan'', on Al Jazeera English, interviewing analysts and policy makers and allows viewers to interact with them via phone, email, SMS messages or fax. The show came to an end in April 2011.

Khan speaks Urdu and Hindi and also understands other South Asian languages such as Punjabi and Kutchi. He has studied French, and can understand some other European languages, including Swedish.

In 2005 he authored his first book, ''Al-Waleed: Businessman Billionaire Prince'', published by Harper Collins.

In 2011 he authored a preface for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) annual report "Attacks on the Press 2010", which examined working conditions for journalists in more than 100 countries.

References

"Why I'm Joining Al Jazeera", op-ed by Riz Khan, ''The Wall Street Journal'', 13 June 2005, p. A1

"Q&A; CNN Anchor: Riz Khan". ''India Today''. February 19, 2001.

External links

Riz Khan's official website

Profile at Al Jazeera English

MySpace Profile

Interview with Baron Dave Romm of KFAI-FM at the Republican National Convention Sept. 2, 2008 and picture

Category:1962 births Category:Al Jazeera people Category:Alumni of Cardiff University Category:Alumni of the University of Portsmouth Category:British Muslims Category:British people of Indian descent Category:English people of Pakistani descent Category:British journalists Category:British television presenters Category:Living people Category:Punjabi people Category:Gujarati people Category:People from Aden

ar:ريز خان he:ריז ח'אן sw:Riz Khan no:Riz Khan

birth name	Michael Demitri Shalhoub
birth date	April 10, 1932
birth place	Alexandria, Egypt
spouse	Faten Hamama (1954-74)
religion	Islam
occupation	Actor
years active	1954–present
name	Omar Sharifعمر الشريف }}

Omar Sharif (Arabic:عمر الشريف; born Michael Demitri Shalhoub; April 10, 1932) is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films, most famously in ''Lawrence of Arabia'', ''Doctor Zhivago'' and ''Funny Girl''. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won three Golden Globe Awards.

Early life

Omar Sharif was born Michel Dimitri Shalhoub in Alexandria into a wealthy Egyptian Catholic family. Sharif graduated from Alexandria's Victoria College, where he is reported by his schoolmate Edward W. Said to have been sadistic and physically abusive in his capacity as "head boy" at Alexandria's Victoria College. Sharif later graduated from Cairo University with degrees in both mathematics and physics.

Acting career

In 1953, Sharif began his acting career with a role in ''Sira` Fi al-Wadi''. He quickly rose to stardom, appearing in over 20 Egyptian productions including ''Ayyamna el helwa'' with singer Abdel Halim Hafez, ''La anam'' in 1958, ''Sayedat el kasr'' in 1959 and the ''Anna Karenina'' adaptation ''Nahr el hub'' in 1961. He also starred with his wife, Egyptian actress Faten Hamama, in several movies as romantic leads.

Sharif's first English language film was in the role of Sherif Ali in David Lean's ''Lawrence of Arabia'' in 1962. This performance earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture. Following this breakthrough role, Sharif played a variety of characters, including a Spanish priest in ''Behold a Pale Horse'' (1964) and the Mongolian conqueror in ''Ghengis Khan''. In 1965, Sharif reunited with Lean to play the title role in ''Doctor Zhivago'', an adaptation of Boris Pasternak’s novel. Over the next few years, Sharif starred as a German military officer in ''The Night of the Generals'', as Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria in ''Mayerling'' and as Che Guevara in ''Che!''. Sharif was also acclaimed for his portrayal of Nicky Arnstein, husband to Fanny Brice in ''Funny Girl'', though some thought he was miscast as a New York Jewish gambler. His decision to work with co-star Barbra Streisand angered Egypt's government at the time due to Streisand's support for the state of Israel. Streisand herself responded with "You think Cairo was upset? You should've seen the letter I got from my Aunt Rose!" Sharif reprised the role in the film’s sequel, ''Funny Lady'' in 1975.

In 2003 he received acclaim for his role in the French-language film adaptation of the novel ''Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran'' as a Muslim Turkish merchant who becomes a father figure for a Jewish boy.

Contract Bridge career

Sharif once ranked among the world's best known contract bridge players, forming the "Omar Sharif Bridge Circus" in 1967 which toured the world, competing against such powerhouse teams as Blue Team and Dallas Aces, at a time when barnstorming bridge teams were very popular. With Charles Goren, Sharif co-wrote a syndicated newspaper bridge column for the ''Chicago Tribune'' for several years, but has mostly turned over the writing of the column to Tannah Hirsch, whose name appears on the byline with Sharif to this day. He is also both author and co-author of several books on bridge and has licensed his name to a bridge computer game; initially released in a DOS version and Amiga version in 1992, ''Omar Sharif Bridge'' is still sold in Windows and "mobile platform" versions. For a number of years his partner at international tournaments was American football coach Tommy Prothro.

Sharif has been a regular in casinos in France.

In 2006, Sharif declared both pastimes as ended when he was asked if he still played bridge: "I've stopped altogether. I decided I didn't want to be a slave to any passion any more except for my work. I had too many passions, bridge, horses, gambling. I want to live a different kind of life, be with my family more because I didn't give them enough time."

Personal life

Sharif is fluent in Arabic, English, Greek, and French. He also speaks some Italian, Spanish and Turkish.

Family and personal relationships

Sharif lived in his native Egypt from birth in 1932 until he moved to Europe in 1965. He recounts that, in 1932, his father "wasn't a wealthy man", but "earned quite a bit of money". Before the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, King Farouk frequented Sharif's family's house, and became a friend and card game partner of Sharif's mother. His mother was an elegant and charming hostess who was all too delighted with the association because it gave her the privilege of "consorting only with the elite" of Egyptian society. Sharif also recounts that his father's timber business was very successful during that time, in ways that Sharif himself describes as dishonest or immoral.

By contrast, after 1952, Sharif states that wealth changed hands (or names) in Egypt, under Nasser's nationalization policies. His father's business "took a beating". Travel restrictions in the form of "exit visas" were required of Egyptians, and his own travel to take part in international films was sometimes impeded, which he could not tolerate. The Nasser government's travel restrictions influenced Omar's decision to remain in Europe between his film shoots, a decision that cost him his marriage to Egyptian film legend Faten Hamama, though they remained friends. It was a major cross-roads in Omar's life and changed him from an established family man to a life-long bachelor living in European hotels. When commenting about his fame and life in Hollywood, Sharif said, "It gave me glory, but it gave me loneliness also. And a lot of missing my own land, my own people and my own country." Due to the state of war between Egypt and Israel, Sharif's Egyptian citizenship was almost withdrawn by the Egyptian Government when his affair with Barbra Streisand was made public in the Egyptian press due to Streisand's vocal support of Israel.

In 1955, Omar El-Sharif converted to Islam and then married Egyptian actress Faten Hamama. The couple had one son, Tarek El-Sharif, who appeared in ''Doctor Zhivago'' as Yuri at the age of eight. They separated in 1966 and the marriage ended in 1974. Sharif never remarried; he stated that since his divorce, he never fell in love with another woman, and that, although he lived abroad for years, it was not possible for him to fall in love with a woman who was not Egyptian. Sharif became friends with Peter O'Toole during the making of ''Lawrence of Arabia''. They have appeared in several other films together and remain close friends. He is also good friends with Egyptologist Zahi Hawass. Actor and friend Tom Courtenay revealed in an interview for the July 19, 2008, edition of BBC Radio's Test Match Special that Sharif supported Hull City Association Football Club and in the 1970s would telephone their automated scoreline from his home in Paris for score updates. Sharif was given an honorary degree by the University Of Hull in 2010 and used the occasion to meet up with Hull City football player Ken Wagstaff.

At present, Sharif resides mostly in Cairo with his family. In addition to his son, he has two grandsons, Omar and Karim. Omar's elder grandson, Omar Sharif Jr. is also an actor. He is most recently known for playfully tussling on stage at the 83rd Academy Awards ceremony with actor Kirk Douglas, who was presenting the award for Best Supporting Actress that evening.

Health problems

Sharif underwent a triple bypass surgery in 1992, and suffered a mild heart attack in 1994. Sharif had smoked 50 cigarettes a day; after the surgery, he quit easily. Sharif then met his now close friend and lawyer Nabil Mounir. When Sharif visits Egypt, he stays in Nabil Mounir's residence in Cairo, Egypt. Sharif met Mounir at the same hospital where he had his surgery; Mounir was there because his wife was in labor. They met through a mutual friend, Naguib Mahfouz, who would divide his time between both men's hospital rooms. From that day on, Sharif and Mounir became very close friends. They both attended their mutual friend's funeral in 2006 at the El-Rashdan Mosque in Nasr City.

Criminal conviction

On August 5, 2003, he received a one-month suspended prison sentence for striking a police officer in a suburban Parisian casino in July. He was fined the equivalent of $1,700 (USD) and ordered to pay the officer the equivalent of $340 in damages. (He had insulted and then head-butted the Pontoise policeman, who tried to intervene in an argument between the actor and a roulette croupier.) On February 13, 2007 Sharif was "found guilty of assaulting a Beverly Hills parking lot attendant and breaking his nose".

Political views

Sharif said the East will never have a democracy because people like him prefer to go to the neighborhood chief. In the interview, Sharif reportedly blasted U.S. policy in Iraq and said Americans are ignorant. Sharif also claimed to have spoken with U.S President George W. Bush before the beginning of the Iraq War, telling him that Arabs were not like westerners and that Arab states were made up of sects resistant to becoming democratized.

Views on religion

In an interview conducted with The Daily News Egypt, Omar Sharif mentioned his views on religion, and religious people:

When one sees what happens in the world between the religions, the different religions - killing each other and murdering each other, it's disgusting and as far as I am concerned it's ridiculous. So I thought I might be useful, I believe in God and I believe in religion, but believe religions should belong to you. The extraordinary thing is that the Jews believe that only the Jews can go to paradise, the Christians believe that only a Christian can go to paradise and the Muslims believe that only the Muslims can go to paradise. Now why should God, in his great justice, make somebody born that cannot go to paradise - it is absurd. Please forgive me I don't mean to say it's absurd, people made it absurd.

In a 2007 interview, Sharif denied rumors that he had become atheist. He remained a firm believer in God and Islam, and had performed an Umrah (pilgrimage to Makkah Mukarramah) three or four years earlier.

Awards

In November 2005, he was given a medal by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in recognition of his significant contributions to world film and cultural diversity. The medal—which is handed out very infrequently—is named after Russian director Sergei Eisenstein and can only be given out a total of 25 times by Russia's Mosfilm.

Filmography

''Shaytan al-Sahra'' (1954)

''Sira` Fi al-Wadi'' (''The Blazing Sun'' or ''Struggle in the Valley'' or ''Fight in the Valley'') (1954)

''Ayyamna al-Holwa (Our Best Days)'' (1955)

''Siraa Fil-Mina'' (1956)

''Ard al-Salam'' (1957)

''The Lebanese Mission'' (''Châtelaine du Liban, La'') (1957)

''La anam (I Do Not Sleep)'' (1958)

''Goha'' (1958)

''Fadiha fil-zamalek (Scandal in Zamalek)'' (1959)

''Sayedat el kasr (Lady of the Castle)'' (1959)

''Seraa fil Nil (Struggle on the Nile)'' (1959)

''Bidaya wa nihaya'' (1960)

''Hobi al-wahid (My Only Love)'' (1960)

''Esha'a hob (Rumor of Love)'' (1960)

''Nahr al-Hob (The River of love) (1960)

''A Man in our House (A Man in our House)'' (1961)

''Lawrence of Arabia'' (1962)

''Behold a Pale Horse'' (1964)

''The Fall of the Roman Empire'' (1964)

''Doctor Zhivago'' (1965)

''The Yellow Rolls-Royce'' (1965)

''Genghis Khan'' (1965)

''The Night of the Generals'' (1967)

''More Than A Miracle'' (1967)

''Funny Girl'' (1968)

''Mayerling'' (1968)

''Che!'' (1969)

''The Appointment'' (1969)

''Mackenna's Gold'' (1969)

''The Last Valley'' (1970)

''The Horsemen'' (1971)

''The Burglars'' (1971)

''The Mysterious Island (L'Ile Mysterieuse)'' (TV miniseries) (1973)

''Juggernaut'' (1974)

''The Tamarind Seed'' (1974)

''Crime and Passion'' (1975)

''Funny Lady'' (1975)

''The Pink Panther Strikes Again'' (1976), uncredited cameo

''Ashanti: Land of No Mercy'' (1979)

''Bloodline'' (1979)

''S-H-E'' (1979)

''Oh Heavenly Dog'' (1980)

''The Baltimore Bullet'' (1980)

''Pleasure Palace'' (1980)

''Green Ice'' (1981)

''Top Secret!'' (1984)

''Peter the Great'' (1986)

''Harem'' (1986), as Sultan Hassan

''The Possessed'' (1988)

''Al-aragoz (the puppeteer)'' (1989)

''The Opium Connection'' (1990)

''Memories of Midnight'' (1991)

''Mowaten masri (An Egyptian Citizen)'' (1991)

''Beyond Justice'' (1992)

''Grand Larceny'' (1992)

''Mayrig'' (1992)

''588 rue paradis'' (1992)

''Dehk we le'b we gad we hob (Laughter, Games, Seriousness and Love)'' (1993)

''Lie Down With Lions'' (1994)

''Catherine the Great'' (1995)

''Gulliver's Travels'' (1996)

''Heaven Before I Die'' (1997)

''Mysteries of Egypt'' (1998)

''The 13th Warrior'' (1999)

''The Parole Officer'' (2001)

''Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran'' (2003)

''Hidalgo'' (2004)

''Imperium: St Peter'' (2005)

''Fuoco su di me'' (2005)

''Shaka Zulu: The Last Great Warrior'' (2005)

''One Night with the King'' (2006)

''The Crown Prince'' (2006)

''Hanan W Haneen'' (TV Series - Egypt) (2007)

''The Ten Commandments'' (TV series) (2007)...as Jethro

''The Last Templar'' (TV Series) (2008)

''Hassan & Marcus'' (2008)

''10,000 BC'' (2008)

''The Traveler'' (2009)

Bibliography

The Eternal Male (1977)

Omar Sharif's Life in Bridge (1983)

Omar Sharif talks Bridge (2004)

Bridge Deluxe II play with Omar Sharif (Instruction manual)

References

External links

Omar Sharif at ElCinema.com (Arabic)

The Making of ''Lawrence of Arabia'', Digitised BAFTA Journal, Winter 1962-3

Omar Sharif at the CinéArtistes (in French)

Category:1932 births Category:African American film actors Category:American people of Egyptian descent Category:Best Actor César Award winners Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Cairo University alumni Category:César Award winners Category:Converts to Islam from Catholicism Category:Egyptian actors Category:Egyptian bridge players Category:Egyptian film actors Category:Living people Category:People from Alexandria

ar:عمر الشريف an:Omar Sharif az:Ömər Şərif be:Амар Шарыф bg:Омар Шариф ca:Omar Sharif cs:Omar Sharif cy:Omar Sharif da:Omar Sharif de:Omar Sharif el:Ομάρ Σαρίφ es:Omar Sharif eo:Omar Sharif eu:Omar Sharif fa:عمر شریف fr:Omar Sharif ga:Omar Sharif gl:Omar Sharif ko:오마 샤리프 hy:Օմար Շարիֆ it:Omar Sharif he:עומר שריף kn:ಒಮರ್ ಶೆರೀಫ್ la:Omar Sharif hu:Omar Sharif arz:عمر الشريف nl:Omar Sharif ja:オマル・シャリーフ no:Omar Sharif pl:Omar Sharif pt:Omar Sharif ro:Omar Sharif ru:Шариф, Омар sc:Omar Sharif sq:Omar Sharif simple:Omar Sharif sr:Омар Шариф sh:Omar Sharif fi:Omar Sharif sv:Omar Sharif tl:Omar Sharif th:โอมาร์ ชารีฟ tr:Ömer Şerif uk:Омар Шариф ur:عمر شریف zh:奧瑪·雪瑞夫

Name	Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif
Smallimage
Order	12th
Office	Prime minister of Pakistan
President	Farooq LeghariWasim Sajjad
Term start	17 February 1997
Term end	12 October 1999
Predecessor	Benazir Bhutto
Successor	Pervez Musharraf
President2	Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Term start2	26 May 1993
Term end2	18 July 1993
Predecessor2	Balakh Sher Mazari (Acting)
Successor2	Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi (Acting)
President3	Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Term start3	6 November 1990
Term end3	18 April 1993
Predecessor3	Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi (Acting)
Successor3	Balakh Sher Mazari (Acting)
Succeeding
Order4	9th
Office4	Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan
Term start 4	April 9, 1985
Term end 4	August 13, 1990
Alongside4
Vicepresident4
Viceprimeminister4
Deputy4
Lieutenant4
Monarch4
President4	General Zia-ul-Haq
Primeminister4	Muhammad Khan Junejo
Governor4	Sajjad Hussain QureshiGeneral Tikka Khan
Succeeding4	Ghulam Haider Wyne
Predecessor4	Sadiq Hussain Qureshi
Successor4	Ghulam Haider Wyne
Constituency4
Birth date
Birth place	Lahore, West Pakistan, Dominion of Pakistan
Birthname	Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif
Nationality
Party	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Otherparty
Spouse	Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif
Partner
Residence	Lahore, Punjab Province
Alma mater	Government College University(B.A. and BBA)University of the Punjab(LLB)
Religion	Islam
Data5
Military data5	}}

Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, (Punjabi, ; born 25 December, 1949) is a Pakistani politician and business steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990-July 1993 and February 1997-October 1999. He currently served as the President of the Pakistan Muslim League (N-Wing). Before becoming the Prime minsiter, Sharif was the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1985 to 1990 and embarked his political career under the military regime of President General Zia-ul-Haq. A businessman and lawyer by profession, he owns Ittefaq Group, a private steel mill enterprise.

He is a wealthy businessman and a conservative politician. His first term was shortened after the Pakistan Army pressured him to resign. In 1997, he was elected on for a second term by an overwhelming margin. During his second term, he notably ordered Pakistan's first nuclear tests in response to India's nuclear tests. He was ousted in an October 1999 military coup by Pervez Musharraf. He returned to Pakistan in late 2007 after eight years of forced exile. He successfully called for Musharraf's impeachment and the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. He is a declining force in Pakistani politics ever since wikileaks cables exposed his private opposition reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his parties unpopular policies in punjab provincial government .

Early life and education

He was born in Lahore, West-Pakistan on December 25, 1949, a year after the nation's founding. He came from a family of scrap traders. His father and uncles had a small steel mill that is known as Ittefaq Steel Mills in Landa Bazar of Lahore before the creation of Pakistan.

He attended St. Anthony's High School at Lahore. However, he along with his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif later on attended Pakistan Railway High School, Moghalpura, Lahore. Both passed Matriculation from this school in 1964 and 1965 respectively. Nawaz Sharif got admission in the Government College University of Lahore. He obtained his B.A. degree, followed by another B.A. from the same institution in 1969. In 1970, Sharif then attended the Punjab University where he attained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Punjab University Law College, which is also in Lahore.

Business enterprise: Ittefaq Group

He is a joint owner of Ittefaq Group. Ittefaq Group is one of the largest business conglomerates in Pakistan. He helped establish the Ittefaq Islamic Academy in Lahore, where students receive religious instruction in addition to their secular training. A practicing Muslim, Sharif comes from a religious family and has said he would make the teaching of the Quran, the Muslim Holy Book, a compulsory subject up to the secondary level.

He and his cousins expanded their family iron foundry. They lost control of their business in the 1972 nationalization policies by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. It was re-established in 1977 as Ittefaq Industries in Lahore. The business was returned after Sharif developed political links with Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan, and Chief of Army Staff General Mohammad Zia ul-Haq, later President of Pakistan. By 1990, Ittefaq Industries was one of Pakistan's most affluent conglomerates, with more than $450 million in annual revenues, up from approximately $16 million in 1981. It included the country's largest private steel mill, Ittefaq Foundries (Pvt) Ltd, eight sugar mills, and four textile factories. Sharif's net worth is around US $4 billion. With upwards of hundred thousand employees, Ittefaq Group .However allegation persist that nawaz sharif engages in price fixing of sugar and other commodities

Initial political career

He principally rose to public and political prominence as a staunch proponent of the military government of Chief Martial Law Administrator (designated himself as President) and Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq during the 1980s. He maintained an alliance with General Rahimuddin Khan, who was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. During his political career, Sharif also had close ties with ISI Director-Lieutenant-General (retired) Hamid Gul, who played a substantial role in the formation of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad- a conservative political alliance that supported Sharif.

Punjab Advisory Council

In 1981, he initially joined as a member of the Punjab Advisory Council under President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Shariff would also served as the Provincial Minister of Finance and Provincial Minister of Sports under the Provincial Government of Punjab Province. During his tenure, he was credited with increasing funding for sports activities and rural projects.

Chief Minister of Punjab

He served for two consecutive terms as Chief Minister of Punjab Province, the most populous province of Pakistan. (April 9, 1985 - May 31, 1988) From 1988 to August 1990, he became the Caretaker Chief Minister after Zia-ul-Haq dissolved the assemblies. Because of his vast popularity, he received the nickname "Lion of the Punjab".

First term as Prime Minister (1990-93)

Sharif became the prime minister of Pakistan on 1 November 1990 as the head of IJI and succeeded Benazir Bhutto. He campaigned on a conservative platform and vowed to reduce government corruption. He focused on improving the nation's infrastructure and spurred the growth of digital telecommunication. He privatized government banks and opened the door for further industrial privatization. He legalized foreign money exchange to be transacted through private money exchangers. His privatization policies were continued by both Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf. He took many steps to raise the issue of Kashmir on international forums, to transfer power peacefully in Afghanistan so to put an end to the drug smugglers and illegal transaction of unregistered weapons across the border which was promoting then increasing numbers of dacoits in the country. He also wanted to continue the peaceful nuclear atomic program and to make Pakistan a truly Islamic state and to do so he introduced Islamic Laws such as the Shariat Ordinance and Bait-ul-Maal (to help poor orphans widows etc.); Moreover he gave tasks to the Ministry of Religious Affairs to prepare reports and recommendations for steps taken for Islamization. He ensured the establishment of three committees.

Ittehad-e-bain-ul-Muslemeen

Nifaz-e-Shariat Committee

Islamic Welfare Committee

He believed in forming a Muslim Bloc by uniting all Central Asian Muslim Countries thus he extended the membership of ECO to all Central Asian Countries. Nawaz Sharif was pretty confident that he had majority in the assembly thus he ruled with considerable confidence. He had disputes with three successive army chiefs. He contended with General Mirza Aslam Beg over the 1991 Gulf War, with General Asif Nawaz over the Sindh "Operation Clean-Up" issue, and with General Abdul Waheed Kakar over the Sharif-Ishaq Imbroglio. To defuse the tension him and Benazir and to disperse the long march he promised her to release her detained husband and to abolish the Eighth amendment her Party’s co-operation (PPP). Ghulam took this as an attack on him by the ruling party so in order to win the presidential election he on April 1993, with the support of the Pakistan Army, used his reserve powers to dissolve the National Assembly and appointed Mir Balakh Sher Mazari as the Caretaker Prime Minister. In May 1993, Sharif returned to power after the Supreme Court ruled that the Presidential Order as unconstitutional and reconstituted the National Assembly. In July 1993, Sharif resigned under pressure from the military but negotiated a settlement that resulted in the removal of President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Moin Qureshi became Caretaker Prime Minister.

Economic Policy

Shortly after taking power, Nawaz Sharif announced that his government would carry out a national reconstruction programme to industrialize Pakistan. He believed unemployment was Pakistan's greatest problem and that only industrial growth could solve the problem. . He also wanted to continue the peaceful nuclear atomic program and to make Pakistan a truly Islamic state and to do so he introduced Islamic Laws such as the Shariat Ordinance and Bait-ul-Maal (to help poor orphans widows etc.).Sharif wanted to follow a policy of privatization of the industrialization of the industries that which had been nationalized by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. A number of important industries, such as shipping, electricity supply, airlines and telecommunications were opened up to the private sector. He introduced several large scale projects to stimulate the economy, such as the Bartotha Hydro power project and the Gwadar Miniport in Baluchistan. He also tried to solve the unemployment problem by importing thousands of taxis for many young men, but it came at a cost. Few of the loans were repaid. Sharif built Pakistan first major motorway which was completed in November 1997 at a cost of $989 million. Sharif’s policies were undermined by lack of capital for investments. There was an influx of foreign capital when he loosened foreign exchange restrictions and opened Pakistan ‘s stock market to foreign capital, but the government remained short of funds for investments.

Co-operatives Societies Scandal

Sharif also lost support because of the co-operatives societies scandal. Co- operatives societies accept deposits from members and can legally make loans only to members for purposes that are to the benefit of the society and its members. However, mismanagement of these societies led to a collapse in which millions of Pakistanis lost money in 1992. In Sharif’s native Punjab 700,000 people mostly poor people lost all their savings when the states cooperatives societies went bankrupt. It was soon discovered that The society had granted billions of rupees to the Ittefaq group.Though Ittefaq hurriedly repaid the loans the Prime Ministers reputation was severely damaged.

Parliamentary opposition (1993-96)

After the 1993 general elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party returned to power. Sharif conceded defeat and offered his full co-operation as Leader of the opposition but soon The PPP and PML-N again came at loggerheads. Benazir's government found it difficult to act effectively in the face of opposition from Sharif and The PML-N. They worked tirelessly to undermine her government. In 1994 Sharif began a "Train March" taking him from Karachi to Peshawar during which huge crowds listened to his critical speeches. Sharif played a major part in organizing strikes throughout Pakistan in September and October 1994. By 1996, the PPP had become unpopular because of there high levels of corruption which led to their ouster in October.

Second term as Prime Minister (1997-99)

In the 1997 General Elections The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N)won a landslide victory in the elections. Sharif was sworn in as Prime Minister on 17 February to serve a non-consecutive second term.

In August 1997, he passed the controversial Anti-Terrorist Act which established Anti-Terrorism Courts. The Supreme Court later rendered the Act unconstitutional.

In 1999, he met with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Wagah border and signed a joint communique, known as the Lahore Declaration.

1998 Pakistan's nuclear tests

Pakistan's nuclear tests were an important turning point in his political career. In his first term, Sharif funded Pakistan's nuclear, missile and space programme, as well as allotted funds for the science research, particularly its extension to defence. Soon after Indian nuclear tests, Sharif vowed that his country would give a suitable reply to the Indians. When India tested its nuclear arsenal a second time, it caused a great alarm in Pakistan. On 15 May 1998, Sharif called and chaired a National Security Council meeting in Prime minister Secretariat. The discussions went on for a few hours and encompassed the financial, diplomatic, military, strategic and national security concerns. The meeting had two agendas: Firstly, whether or not Pakistan should carry out nuclear tests in order to respond to Indian’s nuclear tests? Secondly, if Pakistan does go ahead with the tests then which of the two organizations, PAEC or KRL, should carry out the tests?

Mushahid Hussain Syed, Minister of Telecommunications, was the first person to propose the tests, while, Sartaj Aziz who was the Finance Minister that time, was the only person in the meeting who opposed the tests on financial grounds due to the economic recession, the low foreign exchange reserves of the country and the effect of inevitable economic sanctions which would be imposed on Pakistan if it carried out the tests. The year he was elected, Sharif made a state visit to Malaysia and Singapore where Sharif succeeded to signed a economic and free trade agreements with both countries. His proposal came a week after 10-year commemorations of the late President Zia ul-Haq. The Cabinet removed some of its controversial aspects. The National Assembly approved and passed the bill on 10 October 1998 by 151 votes to 16. However, the amendment failed to achieve two-thirds majority in the Senate. Weeks afterward, Sharif's government would suffer a military coup.

Relations with the military

During his second tenure, he removed General Karamat over the National Security Council disputes. He later had severe political confrontation with General Musharraf that resulted in a coup d'état which removed him from office.

At the end of General Wahid Kakar's three-year term in January 1996, General Jehangir Karamat was appointed Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army. His term was due to end on 9 January 1999. However, in October 1998 Sharif had a falling out with General Karamat over the latter’s advocacy of a "National Security Council". Sharif interpreted this move to be a conspiracy to return the military to a more active role in Pakistani politics. In October 1998, General Karamat resigned and Sharif promoted Lieutenant-General Pervez Musharraf, core-commander of the I ''Strike'' Corps that time, as 4-star general and appointed him as new Chief of Army Staff. Sharif then also appointed General Musharraf as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee despite Musharraf's lack of seniority to Admiral Bokhari. In protest, Admiral Fasih Bokhari resigned from his post as Chief of Naval Staff.

During the Kargil War in 1999, he claimed to have no knowledge of the planned attacks, saying that Pervez Musharraf acted alone.

Military coup

On 12 October 1999, Sharif attempted to remove Pakistan Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf and appoint Ziauddin Butt in his place. Musharraf, who was in Sri Lanka, attempted to return through a commercial airliner to return to Pakistan. Sharif ordered Sindh IG Rana Maqbool to arrest of Chief of Army Staff and Musharraf.

He ordered the Karachi Airport to be sealed off to prevent the landing of the Musharraf's airliner fearing a coup d'état. Sharif ordered the plane to land at Nawabshah Airport. Musharraf contacted top Pakistan Army Generals who then took over the country and ousted Sharif's administration. Musharraf later assumed control of the government as Chief Executive.

Trial

The military placed him on trial for "kidnapping, attempted murder, hijacking and terrorism". The military court quickly convicted him and gave him a life sentence. Under an agreement facilitated by Saudi Arabia, Sharif was placed in exile for the next 10 years.

Return to Pakistan

Failed attempt in Islamabad

On August 23, 2007, Pakistan's top court ruled Nawaz Sharif and his brother, Shahbaz, were free to return. Both vowed to return soon.

On 8 September 2007, Lebanese politician Saad Hariri and Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz addressed an unprecedented joint press conference at Army House to discuss how Sharif's return would affect relations. Muqrin stated that the initial agreement was for 10 years but "these little things do not affect relations.” Muqrin expressed hope that Sharif would continue with the agreement.

On 10 September 2007, Sharif returned from exile in London to Islamabad. He was prevented from leaving the plane and he was deported to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia within hours. His political career appeared to be over.

Successful return in Lahore

On 20 November 2007, Musharraf went to Saudi Arabia as he left the country for the first time since implementing emergency rule. He attempted to convince Saudi Arabia to prevent Sharif from returning until after the elections in January 2008. The political role of Sharif returned to the fore after Benazir Bhutto's return a month earlier. Saudi Arabia appeared to argue that if Pakistan has allowed a secular woman leader, Benazir Bhutto, to return to the country, then the religiously conservative Sharif should be permitted to return too.

On 25 November 2007, Sharif returned to Pakistan. Thousands of supporters whistled and cheered as they hoisted Sharif and his brother Shahbaz on their shoulders through ranks of wary riot police officers. After an 11-hour procession from the airport, he reached a mosque where he offered prayers as well as criticism against Musharraf.

His return to Pakistan came with only one day left to register for elections. This set the stage for an overnight shift of the political scene.

2008 Parliamentary Elections

Sharif called for the boycott of the January 2008 elections because he believed the poll would not be fair, given a state of emergency imposed by Musharraf. Sharif and the PML (N) decided to participate in the parliamentary elections after 33 opposition groups, including Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, met in Lahore but failed to reach a joint position.

For the elections, he campaigned for the restoration of the independent judges removed by emergency government decree and Musharraf's departure.

Bhutto's assassination led to the postponement of the elections to 18 February 2008. During the elections, both parties, but the Pakistan Peoples Party in particular, rely on a mix of feudal relationships and regional sentiment for their voting bases - the Bhuttos in Sindh, Nawaz Sharif in Punjab. Sharif condemned Bhutto's assassination and called it the "gloomiest day in Pakistan's history".

Between Bhutto's assassination and the elections, the country faced a rise in attacks by militants. Sharif accused Musharraf of ordering anti-terror operations that have left the country "drowned in blood." Pakistan's government urged opposition leaders to refrain from holding rallies ahead of the elections, citing an escalating terrorist threat. Sharif's party quickly rejected the recommendation, accusing officials of trying block the campaign against Musharraf since large rallies have traditionally been the main way to drum up support in election campaigns.

On January 25, Musharraf initiated a failed four-day visit to London to use British mediation in Pakistani politics to reconcile with the Sharif brothers.

Zardari's Pakistan People's Party, boosted by the death of Benazir Bhutto, and Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N dominated the elections. PPP received 86 seats for the 342-seat National Assembly; the PML-N, 66; and the PML-Q, which backs President Pervez Musharraf, 40. Zardari and Sharif would later create a coalition government that ousted Musharraf.

Post-2008 elections

His party had joined a coalition led by PPP but the alliance had been strained by differences over the fate of judges Musharraf dismissed last year and over how to handle the unpopular president. Sharif won much public support for his uncompromising stand against Musharraf and for his insistence the judges be reinstated. The coalition successfully forced Musharraf's resignation. He also successfully pressured Zardari for the reinstatement of judges removed by Musharraf in emergency rule. This led to the courts cleansing Sharif of a criminal record rendering him eligible to re-enter parliament.

By-Elections

In June 2008 by-elections, Sharif's party won three National Assembly seats and eight provincial assembly seats, all but one in the country's political nerve center of Punjab province, where Shahbaz Sharif heads the provincial government. The Lahore seat election was postponed because of wrangling over whether Sharif was eligible to contest.

2008 Musharraf impeachment

On 7 August 2008, the coalition government agreed to impeach Musharraf. Zardari and Sharif sent a formal request for him to step down. A charge-sheet had been drafted, and was to be presented to parliament. It included Mr Musharraf’s first seizure of power in 1999—at the expense of Nawaz Sharif, the PML(N)’s leader, whom Mr Musharraf imprisoned and exiled—and his second last November, when he declared an emergency as a means to get re-elected president. The charge-sheet also listed some of Mr Musharraf’s contributions to the “war on terror”.

On 11 August, the National Assembly was summoned to discuss impeachment proceedings. On 18 August 2008, Musharraf resigned as President of Pakistan due to mounting political pressure from the impeachment proceedings. On 19 August 2008, Musharraf defended his nine-year rule in an hour long speech.

Musharraf is presently exiled to London and Sharif continues to demand he be prosecuted for treason.

Presidential election

Pakistan's Election Commission on 22 August announced that Presidential elections would be held on 6 September 2008, and the nomination papers could be filed starting 26 August. In Pakistan, the president is elected by the two houses of parliament and the four provincial assemblies. There was speculation that Sharif would run for President, but on 25 August, he announced that Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui would be the PML-N nominee for President. Siddiqui was defeated by Zardari for the presidency.

Reinstatement of judges

Sharif supported the reinstatement of judges suspended by Musharraf in March 2007. Musharraf had dismissed 60 judges under the state of emergency and Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in a failed bid to remain in power. Sharif had championed the cause of the judges since their dismissal. The new government that succeeded Musharraf which had campaigned on reinstatement had failed to restore the judges. This led to a collapse of the coalition government in late 2008 due to Zardari’s erstwhile refusal to reinstate the sacked judge. Zardari feared that Chaudhry would undo all Mr Musharraf’s edicts—including an amnesty that he had received from corruption charges.

On 25 February 2009, the Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab’s chief minister, from holding public office. Zardari then dismissed the province’s legislature and declared president’s rule in Punjab. Zardari attempted to place Sharif on house arrest on 15 March 2009. But provincial police disappeared the same day from his house after an angry crowd gathered outside the house. The Punjab police’s decision to free Sharif from confinement was very likely in response to an army command. Sharif, with a large contingent of SUVs, began leading a march to Islamabad. In a televised morning speech on 16 March 2009, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani had promised to reinstate Iftikhar Chaudhry after pressure from Pakistan’s army, American and British envoys, and internal protests. Sharif called off the "long march". The PPP-led government continued to survive.

Removal of bar on third term

On 2 April 2010, the 18th Amendment Bill in the Parliament removed the bar on former prime ministers to stand for only two terms in office. This allows Sharif to become Prime Minister for a third time.

Personal life

He is married to Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif.

References

External links

Kim Barker exposes Nawaz Sharif

Nawaz Sharif took about US$500,000 from Osama bin Ladin for elections

BBC, Timeline: Pakistan's political rivals

Pml(N)Official website

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Group) Pakistan

Live Interview

PMLN site

Nawaz Sharif becomes Prime Minister

BBC Profile of Nawaz Sharif

Nawaz Sharif's Life Story (Urdu)

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif |- |- |- |- |- |-

Category:1949 births Category:Chief Ministers of Punjab (Pakistan) Category:Finance Ministers of Pakistan Category:Ig Nobel Prize winners Category:Kashmiri people Category:Leaders of the Opposition (Pakistan) Category:Living people Category:Pakistan Muslim League (N) Category:Pakistani billionaires Category:Pakistani democracy activists Category:Pakistani exiles Category:Pakistani expatriates in Saudi Arabia Category:Pakistani politicians Category:Nuclear history of Pakistan Category:People from Jeddah Category:People from Lahore Category:Prime Ministers of Pakistan Category:Punjabi people Category:Ravians Category:Punjab University Law College alumni Category:Sharif family

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Hassan Sharif (born 1951) is a conceptual artist and writer from the United Arab Emirates.

Biography

Sharif was born in 1951 in the Emirate of Dubai, U.A.E. He obtained his Diploma in Fine Art and Design in 1984 when he graduated from The Byam Shaw School of Art, London, UK. In 1980 he became the founder and a constant member of the Emirates Fine Art Society, UAE. In 1987 he founded the Art Atelier in the Youth Theater and Arts, Dubai, U.A.E. In 1997 , 1999 and 2003 he was a member of jury committee in the [Sharjah International Art Biennial]. Sharif also worked for local UAE newspapers by publishing comics and write-ups about conceptual arts. Hassan Sharif is considered one of the first conceptual artists of the UAE. His work has been exhibited at the 53rd Venice Biennale.

Solo Exhibitions

1976 Caricature, Central Public Library, Dubai, U.A.E.

1984 Emirates Fine Art Society, Sharjah, U.A.E.

1986 Emirates Fine Art Society, Sharjah, U.A.E

1995 Sharjah International Arts biennial, Sharjah, U.A.E.

2001 Sharjah International Arts Biennial, Sharjah, U.A.E.

2003 Sharjah International Arts Biennial, Sharjah, U.A.E.

2007 Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah UAE.

Group Exhibitions

1983 Black and White exhibition, Al Ahli Club, Dubai, U.A.E.

1984 Central market – Sharjah – U.A.E.

1985 One day exhibition – Almirajah – Sharjah – U.A.E.

1990 The 3rd Cairo International Biennial, Egypt.

1990 Exhibition of the Emirates Fine Art Society in the Soviet Union of Fine Art, Moscow.

1994 Five Artists Exhibition, Emirates Fine Art society, Sharjah, U.A.E.

1995 Emirates Arts, Sittard Art Centre, Holland.

1996 Six Artists Exhibition, Sharjah Art Museum, U.A.E.

1997 A group of U.A.E artists Exhibition, French Cultural Center, Dubai, U.A.E.

1998 The 7th Cairo International Biennial, Egypt.

1998 U.A.E contemporary Art, Institute of Arab World, Paris, France.

2000 The 7th Havana Biennial, Cuba.

2000 The Contemporary Arts of the Arab World, Shoman Foundation, Darat AL Funun, Amman, Jordan.

2000 Emirates Identities, French Cultural Center, Dubai, U.A.E.

2002 Ludwig Forum for International Art – Aachen – Germany.

2003 Honoured - Sharjah international Art Biennial.

2005 Languages of the desert – Kunst Museum, Bonn Germany.

2005 Cultural Diversity Exhibition – Sharjah Art Museum – U.A.E.

2006 Window, 16 UAE Artists – Total Art Gallery – Dubai, U.A.E.

2007 The Emirates and its Renowned Arab Artists – Dubai Community Theater and Art Center, Mall of the

2007 The Masters – Royal Mirage – Dubai, U.A.E.

Collections

Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar

Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, U.A.E.

Sittard Art Center, Holland.

Published Books

New Art – 1995.

Sharp Tools for Making Art – 1995.

Concept of Art – 1997.

Al Khamsa – 2003.

Notes

References

Hassan Sharif participating in the 53rd Venice Biennial

Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:UAE artists Category:Conceptual artists