Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan,could hardly be a happy man. He had to meet the leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world on a very weak wicket. After all, unknown assailants apparently took a potshot at his nemesis—Imran Khan who is drawing massive crowds in his protests.
Pakistanis are rather accustomed to such excitements but it certainly makes for a bad impression when one is visting the country’s main benefactor or— creditor.
As if that was not bad enough, about a third of his country is literally reeling from the after-effects of the worst floods in decades, and his economy is literally hanging by a thread. And he’s meeting a triumphant President Xi, fresh from a total victory at the recent party Congress, except that it's not that simple. Xi has his own troubles and they could be crowding fast. That should concern Islamabad.