Searching for 'Constructive Engagement'

In an exclusive interview, Pakistan's new prime minister Shahbaz Sharif talks about the state of his country's democracy, worsening U.S.-China relations, the war in Ukraine and a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan

- TOM O'CONNOR

ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE TALIBAN taking control of Afghanistan and in the midst of soaring tensions among the world's major powers, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif spoke with Newsweek senior foreign policy writer Tom O'Connor about the urgent need for greater international cooperation, the role his nation could play in preventing the world from sliding into an ever deeper set of crises and more.

In this interview, conducted via email, Sharif discusses his views on the stark deterioration of relations between the United States and China and his stance on Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. As the new leader of a nation that managed to bring Washington and Beijing together half a century ago during the Cold War, Sharif says Pakistan could once again play a role in facilitating a de-escalation in the interest of improving bilateral bonds with both powers, thereby avoiding a potentially devastating collision that could have untold consequences for the international community.

Closer to home, Sharif discusses turmoil plaguing neighboring Afghanistan, unresolved strife across the disputed region of Kashmir and an uptick in militant attacks within Pakistan's own borders, a trifecta of instability that threatens his nuclear-armed nation's own national security at a time of domestic political uncertainty.

Sharif took office in April in the wake of a no-confidence vote that ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, whom Newsweek interviewed last September. The upheaval marked a return to power for the Pakistan Muslim League-N, formerly led by Sharif's elder brother, Nawaz, who served as premier three times, most recently until 2017.

Today, the younger Sharif seeks to forge his own path as leader of an Islamic republic of nearly 242 million people while navigating internal and external challenges to improve the position of Pakistan and the surrounding region.