ISLAMABAD // After 14 years out of power, Nawaz Sharif is in a hurry to clean up what he calls Pakistan's mess.
Mr Sharif, who is poised to become Pakistan's next prime minister, was in talks Sunday to form a new government with his Pakistan Muslim League Party-Nawaz (PML-N), with fixing the shattered economy and tackling Islamist militancy likely to be his two biggest challenges.
Partial, unofficial results from Saturday's election represented a stunning comeback for the wealthy 63-year-old tycoon, who was deposed as prime minister in a 1999 military coup and spent years in jail and exile.
Mr Sharif appeared to have done well enough to rule out the prospect of a weak coalition, as the party of a former cricket star, Imran Khan, achieved its own breakthrough on an anti-corruption platform.
"The challenges are huge," he said during the last days of campaigning. "We have to bail out the economy."
Sartaj Aziz, a senior PML-N official and former cabinet minister, said Mr Sharif was in talks yesterday with some independent MPs to get them on board and in discussions to work out "a few key portfolios" in the cabinet.
Mr Sharif, who vows to bring in free market enterprise and ease economic controls, said speedy growth is the only answer for nuclear-armed Pakistan.
The powerful military still calls the shots in Pakistan, but the poll marked the first time that an elected government would be able to replace another one. Nevertheless, Mr Sharif will have to work with the generals, who control foreign policy and security.
The new civilian government will also have to play its part in Pakistan's difficult relationship with the United States.
Washington has a long-standing alliance with Pakistan, but is troubled by elements in the country supporting Islamic militants fighting US troops in neighbouring Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden was found and killed in Pakistan in 2011.
In addition, the economy is stuttering. Power cuts that can last all day have infuriated Pakistanis and crippled key industries. Corruption and poverty are rampant, and infrastructure is crumbling.
Mr Sharif, who made his fortune in steel, seemed to have matured as a politician since he was toppled by the former army chief and president, Pervez Musharraf, in a bloodless coup in 1999.
As the main opposition leader, he avoided antagonising Pakistan's powerful army, or bringing down the Pakistan People's Party-led coalition government when it was in trouble. Instead, he waited patiently for an opportunity to rule. And now his moment has come.
The honeymoon will be short.
Pakistan needs billions of dollars from donors to avert a balance of payments crisis, but the cash may not flow to the South Asian nation unless politically sensitive economic reforms are implemented.
Mr Sharif served as prime minister twice in the 1990s, when he tried to promote free market policies.
Now he says he is willing to again risk a backlash, and cut government expenditure by 30 per cent to secure international backing for the economy.
"You see privatisation, free market economy, deregulation - they have been hallmarks of our party in government," he said. "We are going to pick up the threads from where we left off."
Mr Sharif's two terms as prime minister in the 1990s were marred by allegations of graft and Pakistan conducted its first nuclear tests on his watch in 1998.
* With additional reports from Agence France-Presse
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Griselda
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The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
RIDE%20ON
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IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
Friday's schedule at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 qualifying, 10:15am
Formula 2, practice 11:30am
Formula 1, first practice, 1pm
GP3 qualifying session, 3.10pm
Formula 1 second practice, 5pm
Formula 2 qualifying, 7pm
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
