Shehbaz Sharif to be next Pakistan PM as Nawaz Sharif quits after Panama Papers case verdict

Islamabad: Nawaz Sharif's brother and Pak's Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to take over as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan, ANI quoted Pak media as saying.

#FLASH Nawaz Sharif's younger brother Shehbaz Sharif to be next prime minister of Pakistan: Pak media pic.twitter.com/Y0lCvSu3di

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 28, 2017

The name of Shehbaz Sharif was announced during a high-level PML-N meeting. 

The younger brother is not a member of the National Assembly or Senate, and will have to get elected to the Senate to be Prime Minister. 

The party will have to propose a name for interim Prime Minister, to fill the 45 day vacuum until Shehbaz Sharif gets elected to the Parliament.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Asif will most likely become interim Prime Minister.

According to reports, either Hamaz Shehbaz Sharif, the son of Shehbaz, or Rana Sanaullah, Punjab province`s Law Minister, will replace Shehbaz Sharif as the Punjab Chief Minister.

It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available to counter the apex court`s verdict. 

The report comes hours after the Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously disqualified Nawaz Sharif from the Prime Minister's office after a damning corruption investigation into his family wealth.

Also Read: Nawaz's days are not over, party stands united, says PML-N after Pakistan SC ruling in Panama Papers case

The top court ordered that criminal cases be opened against Sharif and his family.

After the verdict, Sharif resigned from his post. 

Also Read: Panama Papers case: Pakistan's Supreme Court disqualifies PM Nawaz Sharif

The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that Sharif has "stepped down" despite having "serious reservations" about the judicial process.

The court had also dismissed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, one of Sharif`s closest allies who has been credited with steering the economy to its fastest pace of growth in a decade, and Captain Safdar, a Member of National Assembly (MNA).