Shahid Khaqan Abbasi named interim PM of Pakistan

Nawaz Sharif stepped down from his post as the Prime Minister after Supreme Court's verdict on Panama Papers on Friday.

A meeting headed by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday named Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as interim PM of Pakistan.

According to Pak newspaper Dawn, PML-N leaders decided to rally behind Nawaz's younger brother, Shahbaz Sharif, as his eventual successor.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was tapped to take over as interim prime minister till the time Shahbaz is elected to parliament, and then to the prime minister's office.

A formal announcement is expected to be made soon.

Shahbaz's ascension to the prime minister's office is considered to be a foregone conclusion, as the 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 is a PML-N stronghold, reported Dawn.

Nawaz Sharif stepped down from his post as the Prime Minister after Supreme Court's verdict on Panama Papers on Friday. The SC disqualified Sharif from holding public office in a landmark decision on the case. The verdict was handed down unanimously by a five-member bench in the court.

The Supreme Court also ordered the National Accountability Court to start a corruption case against Sharif, his children -- Hussain and Hassan -- and his daughter Maryam.