The Heat: Pakistan’s political crisis

The Heat

A supporter of ousted Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif carries a placard featuring his image during a rally in Rawalpindi on July 29, 2017. (AFP PHOTO / AAMIR QURESHI)

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, was forced to resign last week over allegations of corruption after the country’s Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office.

The Parliament elected an interim Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. It’s believed that Abbasi will remain in office until Sharif’s brother Shahbaz wins a seat in Parliament in an upcoming election as the long-term successor.

So, amid this latest round of political turmoil in Pakistan, what’s the way forward for the country?

To discuss Pakistan’s political future:

  • Husain Haqqani, former Pakistani Ambassador to the United States
  • Mustafa Sayed, executive director of the Pakistan-China Institute
  • Shuja Nawaz, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council
  • Raza Rumi, a scholar in residence at Ithaca College

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