Profile: Shehbaz Sharif, allegedly one of biggest criminals in Pakistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is in danger of losing the opposition sponsored no-confidence vote in the National Assembly, the country’s parliament.

In case he is dismissed, a new government could be headed by the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif.

Shehbaz is the brother of former PM Nawaz, one of the richest – and allegedly most spectacularly corrupt – men in Pakistan.

Here is a brief bio of the man who could be the next Pakistan PM:

Shehbaz is the president of the PML-N, replacing his brother and ousted prime, minister Nawaz, who has been living in London since being convicted in two corruption cases in Pakistan.

He is the current leader of opposition in the National Assembly.

Shehbaz holds the distinction of being the longest-serving chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, having served on the post three times.

Shehbaz and his elder brother returned to Pakistan in 2007. He became the CM of Punjab again after his party won the 2008 general election.

His third term as Punjab CM began in 2013 and he served a full term until the defeat of the PML-N in 2018 elections. He was nominated the leader of opposition after the 2018 elections.

Legal Troubles

In December 2019, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) froze 23 properties belonging to Shehbaz and his son, Hamza, accusing them of money laundering.

He was arrested by the NAB in the same case in September 2020, and incarcerated pending trial. In April 2021, the Lahore high court released him on bail in money laundering case.