To ousted leader Imran Khan, Pakistan¡¯s new prime minister is simply a ¡°slave of America¡± who conspired with the U.S. to remove his government and reorient the nation¡¯s foreign policy.
Yet those close to Shehbaz Sharif, chosen by lawmakers on Monday after Khan was removed in a no-confidence vote, describe a man adept at balancing ties between powerful actors ¡ª whether it be the U.S., China, Russia or even Pakistan¡¯s own military, which staged a coup against his brother more than two decades ago.
¡°Shehbaz Sharif would really like to pursue friendly relationships with all countries,¡± said Miftah Ismail, a former finance minister who worked with Sharif when he headed Punjab, Pakistan¡¯s most populous province. ¡°We would love to have good relations with the U.S. and China, and of course Russia.¡±
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