LAHORE, (Reuters) :
Pakistan’s ruling party on Tuesday chose Shahbaz Sharif as its president, officials said, replacing his brother and veteran leader Nawaz Sharif following his latest disqualification by the Supreme Court.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party also elected Nawaz as “leader for life”, in what will be seen as a provocative move and could anger the judiciary after last week’s Supreme Court verdict that removed Sharif as party leader.
In July, Pakistan’s top court had ended Sharif’s third stint in power for not declaring a small source of income, and the former leader could end up in jail if he is convicted in a separate corruption trial expected to wind up soon.
Shahbaz’s elevation as party president will further fuel suggestions that he will replace Sharif loyalist Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister if the party sweeps back to power at general elections due in the summer.
