Sidelined by Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz may not be the next Prime Minister of Pakistan

"Perhaps Shahbaz missed the golden chance of becoming premier.

Shahbaz Sharif may not be become the next Prime Minister of Pakistan after all. Reports emerging in the Pakistan media say that the brother of former Pakistan PM, Nawaz Sharif may not take over the post after all and only a formal announcement to this effect is remaining.

A story in the Dawn while quoting key leaders in the PML-N party says that not only did the elder Sharif keep Shahbaz at bay, he may also have "shattered the dreams" of Shahbaz's son Hamza Sharif, who was looking to be given Punjab by his dad who everyone thought would take over as prime minister. Shahbaz is Punjab chief minister and the PML-N has a strong base in the province.

Sharif had said after his disqualification by the country's supreme court in the Panama Papers case that Shahbaz would be prime minister after an interim arrangement of 45 days. Now, though, a campaign has been set in motion that is spinning Shahbaz as being much needed in Punjab. PML-N leaders said all that's left is a formal announcement that Shahbaz won't be taking over as prime minister.

"Perhaps Shahbaz missed the golden chance of becoming premier... He has either failed to convince his elder brother or the latter played smart politics to keep him in Punjab," a PML-N leader was q uoted as Dawn by saying.

Another PML-N leader said that Sharif played some "excellent family politics" to keep Shahbaz away from the prime minister's post, after he himself was disqualified by the country's supreme court on corruption charges.

"Nawaz played excellent family politics. First he announced Shahbaz his successor. Later a campaign within the PML-N was built that Shahbaz's absence from Punjab would be disastrous for the party," this leader told Dawn.

OneIndia News