Shehbaz Sherif younger brother of Nawaz Sharif is the son of industrialist Muhammad Sharif and is also associated with the family-owned Ittefaq Group of steel industries. The family originally hails from Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir India and eventually settled in the village of Jati Umra in Amritsar district, Punjab, at the beginning of the twentieth century. His mother’s family came from Pulwama. Following the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, his parents migrated from Amritsar to Lahore.Shehbaz received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Government College University, Lahore. After graduation, he joined his family-owned Ittefaq Group. He was elected president of Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 1985. Shehbaz Sharif appears poised to assume the role of Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Shehbaz, 72, served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan until August 2023, when the National Assembly was dissolved for fresh elections. He assumed office just over a year earlier, in April 2022, following the removal of Imran Khan. Prior to this, he held the position of Chief Minister of Punjab three times: from 1997 to 1999, after which he and his family were exiled to Saudi Arabia by Pervez Musharraf; from 2008 to 2013; and from 2013 to 2018. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Shehbaz faced challenges maintaining popularity. While he succeeded in maintaining a diverse coalition, his administration received significant criticism for its management of the economy, especially under intense scrutiny from the IMF and amidst high inflation. Furthermore, his ascent to power as a perceived proxy for the military regime, which led to the ousting of the popular Imran Khan, further tarnished his image.
During his tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab, he was praised for his good governance in the province because of his focus on health, education, agriculture and industrial sectors.[20][34] He undertook several development projects in Lahore and launched a crackdown on criminals across the province to maintain law and order in the province.[34]
He held his office until 12 October 1999, was removed from the post of Chief Minister in the 1999 Pakistani coup d’état. Following the coup he was imprisoned. In December 2000, he along with his immediate family members was exiled forcibly to Saudi Arabia following the request of the Saudi royal family.
Nawaz Sharif aimed for a fourth term as Prime Minister but withdrew from the race due to the split mandate. Maryam Nawaz his daughter stated, “Those familiar with Nawaz know he isn’t keen on heading a coalition government.”
Another reason for Shehbaz’s rise is his more favorable relationship with the powerful military compared to his older brother. Nawaz has had numerous conflicts with the military, which wields significant influence in Pakistan’s civilian government, whereas Shehbaz is known to have a more harmonious relationship with the generals and is know as ‘Yes Sir Jinab’.
