Nawaz Sharif's brother Shehbaz Sharif to be next Pakistan PM, Shahid Abbasi as interim PM

Pic Courtesy: @CMShehbaz

Islamabad: Shehbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab has been announced as the next prime minister of Pakistan whereas former Petroleum Minister and senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be appointed as the interim Prime Minister, Pakistani media said on Saturday. 

Abbasi will run the government as an interim Prime Minister until Nawaz Sharif's brother Shehbaz is elected as a member of parliament, says Pak media. 

Shehbaz's ascension to the Prime Minister`s office was considered to be a foregone conclusion, as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) continues to hold a hefty majority in Parliament and can independently vote him into office. 

He will also likely seek election to the National Assembly from Nawaz Sharif's vacated seat, which was a PML-N stronghold, Dawn reported.

Shehbaz will have to forego his seat in the Punjab Assembly, and a new Chief Minister of the province will need to be chosen. 

Sources claim that Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman was likely to replace Shahbaz as the Chief Minister.

The News International reported that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) finalised Shehbaz to replace Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted by the Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday, as the next prime minister of the country.

The names of Shahbaz and Abbasi, the Petroleum Minister, were finalised in two separate meetings, one informal and the other involving the PML-N's parliamentary committee. The meetings were attended by close aides of Nawaz Sharif, including Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, Saad Rafique, Rana Tanveer, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Shahbaz Sharif along with other members of the PML-N's leadership.

The meetings came as the PML-N deliberated its political and legal options after Sharif's disqualification and decided on who would take over the party's reins in Parliament.

As per media reports, Nawaz reportedly met senior PML-N leaders after the Supreme Court verdict was announced against him in Panama Papers lead case and recommended Shehbaz as his replacement.