Shahid Khaqan Abbasi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
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| شاہد خاقان عباسی | |
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Abbasi in 2017
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| 18th Prime Minister of Pakistan | |
| In office 1 August 2017 – 31 May 2018 |
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| President | Mamnoon Hussain |
| Preceded by | Nawaz Sharif |
| Succeeded by | Nasirul Mulk |
| Chairman of Awaam Pakistan | |
| Assumed office 23 June 2024 |
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| Deputy | Miftah Ismail |
| Preceded by | Position Established |
| Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources | |
| In office 7 June 2013 – 28 July 2017 |
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| Prime Minister | Nawaz Sharif |
| Preceded by | Asim Hussain |
| Succeeded by |
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| Minister for Commerce | |
| In office 31 March 2008 – 13 May 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | Yusuf Raza Gillani |
| Preceded by | Humayun Akhtar Khan |
| Succeeded by | Ameen Faheem |
| Chairperson Pakistan International Airlines | |
| In office 27 December 1997 – 12 October 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | Nawaz Sharif |
| Preceded by | Farooq Umar |
| Succeeded by | Ahmad Saeed |
| Constituency | NA-124 Lahore-II |
| Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan | |
| In office 14 October 2018 – 10 August 2023 |
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| Constituency | NA-118 Lahore-II |
| In office 1 June 2013 – 31 May 2018 |
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| Constituency | NA-51 Murree-I |
| In office 17 March 2008 – 16 March 2013 |
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| Constituency | NA-51 Murree-I |
| In office 17 February 1997 – 12 October 1999 |
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| Constituency | NA-51 Murree-II |
| In office 19 October 1993 – 5 November 1996 |
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| Constituency | NA-51 Murree-II |
| In office 6 November 1990 – 18 July 1993 |
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| Constituency | NA-51 Murree-II |
| In office 2 December 1988 – 6 August 1990 |
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| Constituency | NA-51 Murree-II |
| Secretary General of Pakistan Democratic Movement | |
| In office 20 September 2020 – 18 September 2023 |
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| President | Fazal-ur-Rehman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 December 1958 Murree, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Political party | AP (2024-present) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Samina Khaqan Abbasi
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | Muhammad Riaz Khan (father-in-law) Sadia Abbasi (sister) |
| Education | Lawrence College |
| Alma mater | |
| Signature |  |
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (born 27 December 1958) is a Pakistani politician and businessman. He was the 18th Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2017 to May 2018. Currently, he leads Awaam Pakistan (AP) as its chairman. Abbasi was also a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). He served many terms as a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since 1988.
Abbasi started his political journey in 1988 after his father passed away. He has been elected to the National Assembly several times. He was the Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) from 1997 to 1999. In 2008, he briefly served as the Minister for Commerce. From 2013 to 2017, he was the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources. He became Prime Minister in August 2017 after Nawaz Sharif stepped down.
Early Life and Education
Abbasi was born on 27 December 1958 in Murree, Punjab. He went to Lawrence College. In 1978, he earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Later, in 1985, he received a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from George Washington University. After his studies, Abbasi worked as an electrical engineer in the United States. He then moved to Saudi Arabia in the 1980s, where he worked on energy projects in the oil and gas industry.
Political Career
How Did His Political Journey Begin?
Abbasi's political career started in 1988 after his father, Khaqan Abbasi, passed away. His father was a Member of the National Assembly. In November 1988, Abbasi was elected to the National Assembly for the first time at age 30. He ran as an independent candidate and later joined the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) party.
In October 1990, Abbasi was re-elected to the National Assembly. He became the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Defence. His term ended in 1993.
Serving in the National Assembly
In October 1993, Abbasi was elected for the third time as a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N). He served as the chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defence. His term ended in 1996.
In February 1997, he was re-elected for the fourth time. That same year, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed him as the chairman of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). During his time at PIA, he worked to improve the airline and reduce its debt. His role at PIA ended in 1999 after a change in government. He faced some legal challenges but was cleared by the court in 2001.
What Happened After 2002?
In the 2002 general election, Abbasi lost his seat. After this, he focused on Airblue Limited, an airline he founded in 2003. He was its first chairman until 2007.
In 2007, he rejoined Nawaz Sharif and was re-elected to the National Assembly in February 2008. He became the Minister for Commerce in March 2008 but resigned a few months later when his party left the government.
Becoming Minister for Petroleum
In May 2013, Abbasi was re-elected to the National Assembly for the sixth time. He was appointed as the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources. His main task was to help solve Pakistan's electricity problems.
As Minister for Petroleum, he suggested using liquefied natural gas (LNG) for electricity production because it was cheaper. In 2016, he signed a large agreement with Qatar to buy LNG for 15 years. This deal was important for meeting Pakistan's energy needs. He faced some questions about the deal, but it was later found that all rules were followed. His term as Minister ended in July 2017.
Prime Minister
How Did He Become Prime Minister?
After Nawaz Sharif resigned as prime minister in July 2017, Abbasi was chosen to be a temporary prime minister. He was elected by the National Assembly on 1 August 2017. He won with 221 votes.
When he took office, Abbasi said he would work hard to get important things done, even if his term was short. He was sworn in as Prime Minister on the same day. Later, it was decided that Abbasi would continue as prime minister until the next general election in 2018.
Forming His Cabinet
After becoming Prime Minister, Abbasi formed a cabinet with 43 members. Most ministers from the previous government kept their roles. He appointed Khawaja Muhammad Asif as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, which was a new full-time appointment. He also included a Hindu parliamentarian in his cabinet, which was a first in over 20 years.
What Were His Main Policies?
As prime minister, Abbasi focused on several key areas:
- Security: Improving safety and law and order.
- Tax Reform: Encouraging more people to pay taxes.
- Energy: Solving the country's power crisis.
He also created a new Ministry of Energy by combining two existing ministries. He kept the role of Energy Minister for himself. His goal was to use more domestic coal and LNG for power production. He also worked to improve the system for distributing electricity.
Abbasi approved the results of the 2017 Census of Pakistan, which showed Pakistan's population was over 207 million. He also worked to speed up projects related to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
In September 2017, Abbasi approved a plan to extend the powers of the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). This was a step towards merging FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Foreign Policy and International Relations
After the United States announced a new policy on Afghanistan in August 2017, Abbasi visited Saudi Arabia to discuss the situation. He also chaired a meeting of the National Security Council which rejected the US allegations against Pakistan.
In September 2017, Abbasi went to the United Nations General Assembly in the United States. He met with US Vice-president Mike Pence and briefly with President Donald Trump. They agreed to work on improving relations between the two countries. He also met with leaders from Iran and Turkey.
In December 2017, Abbasi attended a conference in Turkey about Jerusalem. He spoke against the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Personal Life
Family Background
Abbasi comes from a well-known political family in Dewal village. His family belongs to the Dhund Abbasi clan.
He is married and has three sons. His father, Khaqan Abbasi, was an air commodore in the Pakistan Air Force and also a Federal Minister. His father died in a military accident in 1988. His sister, Sadia Abbasi, has been a member of the Senate of Pakistan. His father-in-law, General Muhammad Riaz Abbasi, was a director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Hobbies and Interests
Abbasi is very interested in aviation and is an amateur skydiver. He is the first prime minister of Pakistan to fly in an F-16 Fighting Falcon and a military helicopter. He has been a pilot for over forty years. In December 2017, he also became the first prime minister to board a submarine in the open sea.
He is known for being a private person and not seeking much media attention.
Health and Wealth
In June 2020, Abbasi tested positive for COVID-19 during the pandemic.
He is a businessman and an aviation expert. He founded Airblue in 2003. Abbasi is one of the wealthiest politicians in Pakistan. His assets include shares in Airblue, a house in Islamabad, a hotel business, and land in Murree.
Images for kids
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Abbasi with members of his cabinet and the Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa
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Abbasi hosting Secretary Tillerson in Islamabad in October 2017
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