Shehbaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (Punjabi: میاں محمد شہباز شریف, pronounced [ʃɛhˈbaːz ʃəˈriːf]; born 23 September 1951) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who served as the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan, in office from April 2022 to August 2023. He is the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N). Previously in his political career, he served as the Chief Minister of Punjab three times, making him the longest-serving Chief Minister of Punjab.
Shehbaz Sharif | |
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شہباز شریف | |
Shehbaz in 2022 | |
23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan | |
In office 11 April 2022 – 13 August 2023 | |
President | Arif Alvi |
Preceded by | Imran Khan |
Succeeded by | Anwar ul Haq Kakar (Caretaker) |
Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 20 August 2018 – 10 April 2022 | |
President | Mamnoon Hussain Arif Alvi |
Preceded by | Khursid Ahmed Shah |
Succeeded by | Raja Riaz Ahmad Khan |
Member of the National Assembly | |
In office 13 August 2018 – 10 August 2023 | |
Constituency | NA-132 (Lahore-X) |
13th, 15th Chief Minister of Punjab | |
In office 7 June 2013 – 7 June 2018 | |
Governor | Mohammad Sarwar Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana |
Preceded by | Najam Sethi (caretaker) |
Succeeded by | Hasan Askari Rizvi (caretaker) |
In office 30 March 2009 – 26 March 2013 | |
Governor | Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood Latif Khosa Salmaan Taseer |
Preceded by | Governor's rule |
Succeeded by | Najam Sethi (caretaker) |
In office 8 June 2008 – 25 February 2009 | |
Governor | Salman Taseer Rana Muhammad Iqbal Latif Khosa Syed Ahmed Mahmud |
Preceded by | Dost Muhammad Khosa |
Succeeded by | Governor's rule |
In office 20 February 1997 – 12 October 1999 | |
Governor | Shahid Hamid Zulfiqar Ali Khosa |
Preceded by | Mian Muhammad Afzal Hayat (caretaker) |
Succeeded by | Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (2002) |
President of Pakistan Muslim League (N) | |
Assumed office 13 March 2018 | |
Preceded by | Nawaz Sharif |
In office 2009–2011 | |
Preceded by | Nisar Ali Khan |
Succeeded by | Nawaz Sharif |
Personal details | |
Born | Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan | 23 September 1951
Political party | Pakistan Muslim League (N) |
Spouses | |
Children | 4, including Hamza Shahbaz |
Parents |
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Relatives | Nawaz Sharif (brother) See Sharif family |
Education | Government College University, Lahore (BA) |
Signature | |
Shehbaz was elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab in 1988 and to the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1990. He was again elected to the Punjab Assembly in 1993 and named Leader of the Opposition. He was elected as chief minister of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, for the first time on 20 February 1997. After the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état, Shehbaz along with his family spent years of self-exile in Saudi Arabia, returning to Pakistan in 2007. Shehbaz was appointed Chief Minister for a second term after the PML-N's victory in Punjab province in the 2008 Pakistani general election. He was elected as Chief Minister of Punjab for the third time in the 2013 general election and served his term until his party's defeat in the 2018 general election. During his tenure as chief minister, Shehbaz enjoyed a reputation as a highly competent and diligent administrator. He initiated ambitious infrastructure projects in Punjab and was noted for his efficient governance. Shehbaz was nominated as the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-N after his brother, Nawaz Sharif, was disqualified from holding office in the wake of the Panama Papers case. He was nominated as the Leader of the Opposition after the 2018 election.
In December 2019, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) froze 23 properties belonging to Shehbaz and his son, Hamza Sharif, accusing them of money laundering. On 28 September 2020, the NAB arrested Shehbaz at Lahore High Court and indicted him on charges of money laundering. He was incarcerated pending trial. On 14 April 2021, Lahore High Court released him on bail in money laundering reference. On 12 October 2022, Shehbaz and his son were acquitted on all charges of corruption and money laundering by the Special Court Central in Lahore. Amid the 2022 Pakistani political crises, he was elected by the National Assembly as Prime Minister on 11 April 2022 after the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. On 12 August 2023, the parliament was set to expire due to the completion of the 5-year tenure. In order to gain more time for elections and other political gains, Sharif and the PDM alliance agreed to dissolve the parliament on 9 August 2023, which was approved by the president of Pakistan.