Shahbaz Sharif likely to succeed Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan Prime Minister

Islamabad : An informal meeting, chaired by ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Saturday deliberated the PML-N's political strategy after Sharif's disqualification and decided to rally behind his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif after discussions that stretched over four hours.

The meeting came ahead of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary party meeting, to be convened at the Punjab House later in the day.

If the parliamentary party validates the decision, Shahbaz will have to resign from the Punjab Assembly and a new provincial Chief Minister will have to be chosen. Shahbaz will then have to get elected from the seat left vacant by the elder Shairf and an interim Prime Minister will have to be elected until Shahbaz enters the National Assembly.

Sources claim that PML-N leaders and former federal ministers Rana Tanveer, Khurram Dastgir and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi were front-runners for interim post. Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman was likely to replace Shahbaz as the Punjab Chief Minister.

The meeting, expected to be the last under Sharif in the Prime Minister house, was attended by close aides of the outgoing Prime Minister, including Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, Saad Rafique, Rana Tanveer, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.