Politics

Who is Shehbaz Sharif, the new PM of Pakistan?

Mohammad BilalApril 11, 2022 | 14:58 IST

Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the opposition in the Pakistan National Assembly (NA), is all set to be elected as the next prime minister of Pakistan. Sharif and his party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), with 86 members, has the support of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s 56 legislators and other opposition leaders.

Sharif, who is the younger brother of former PM Nawaz Sharif, has filed the nomination as the PM candidate. With the support of 176 in the 342-member assembly, the road is clear for him to become the PM.

Also, Shehbaz Sharif will be the interim Prime Minister till the elections are held likely in October, 2022. 

Who is shehbaz Sharif and what is his role in Pakistan’s politics? Before you know that, first see a viral video of shehbaz Sharif doing the rounds on internet.

1. A BRIEF BACKGROUND

Shehbaz Sharif. Photo: AFP

Sharif was born on September 23, 1951. He is the younger brother of former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif. Sharif, who is a three-time CM of Punjab province, comes from a strong political background.

He received his Bachelors in Arts degree from Government College University, Lahore.

Apart from Nawaz, he has another bother named Abbas Sharif.

2. WEALTH

Sharif is a businessman by profession. He jointly owns the Ittefaq Group, a multi-million dollar steel conglomerate. He was elected as the president of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1985. In 2013, it was noted that Sharif was richer than Nawaz, and had an estimated wealth of Rs 33.7 crore.

3. POLITICAL INNINGS

Photo: AP

Sharif ’s political innings started in 1980s when he was elected to the Punjab provincial assembly in 1988-1990. After the military coup in 1999, Sharif, along with his family, spent years in exile in Saudi Arabia. He returned to Pakistan in 2007. In 2008, he was appointed CM of Punjab province after PML-N gained victory in the elections.

4. EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATOR

Sharif became the CM of Punjab for the first time in 1997. Since then, he has been the CM of the province three times - 1997, 2008 and 2013. He has been praised for his effective administration and his government’s work was appreciated for its focus on health, education, agriculture and industrial sector. He launched several developmental projects In Lahore. He also led a crackdown against criminals across the state.

He was removed as the CM in 1999 following a coup by the army.

5. PM CANDIDATE IN 2018

In 2018, he became the PM candidate for PML-N after his brother Nawaz Sharif was removed as PM in 2017, following his conviction in the Panama Papers case. But, Imran Khan’s PTI emerged as the single largest party in 2018 and formed the government.

Sharif was chosen as the leader of the opposition. In September 2020, Sharif was arrested in a money laundering case. In April 2021, he was granted bail and the case is still pending in the court.

 

 

Last updated: April 11, 2022 | 17:10
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