Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, vice president of the PML (N) party, could become the new chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, CNN-News18 has learnt from sources.
Hamza is the current leader of the opposition in the provincial assembly.
The development comes against the backdrop of the political turmoil in Pakistan with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government tottering as he faces a no-confidence vote from a joint opposition bloc, even as several members of his own ruling alliance have switched to the other side.
Hamza’s father Shehbaz Sharif from the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has been nominated for the prime minister’s office by the opposition that appears to have the numbers to oust the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-led grouping.
Hamza, who is a businessman by profession, is also known as the “poultry king of Punjab”.
Imran had sought the resignation of the Punjab province’s incumbent CM Usman Buzdar and sent it to governor Chaudhry Sarwar, which the latter accepted.
Sources say Punjab province assembly speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has kicked off efforts for his own election to the chief minister’s post as a PTI candidate and has also reached out to several opposition lawmakers.
Following this, the PML(N) has initiated efforts to block the poaching of its legislators.
Elahi’s party Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid e Azam Group), or PML(Q), has pledged support to Imran Khan during the no-trust motion.
Elahi is likely to face a big challenge getting elected, reports suggest, as the ruling PTI’s Aleem Khan group, with several lawmakers, has refused to back him. So Hamza appears to have the upper hand in the contest.
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