Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (born 23 September 1951) is a Pakistani politician and businessman who has served as the prime minister of Pakistan since 2024, being the only person to hold it for two consecutive terms, having previously been in the role between 2022 and 2023. He has also served as the chief minister of Punjab three times, spanning over 12 years, making him the longest-serving person in the role, the leader of the opposition, and the president of the Pakistan Muslim League (N).
Sharif was elected to the Punjab Assembly in 1988 and later to the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1990, when his brother became head of the conservative Islami Jamhuri Ittihad (IJI). He was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly in 1993 and appointed leader of the opposition. He was elected as chief minister of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, for the first time on 20 February 1997. After the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état, Sharif and his brother were arrested and exiled the next year to Saudi Arabia at the request of the Saudis, returning to Pakistan in 2007. Sharif was elected chief minister for a second term after the PML(N)'s victory in Punjab in the 2008 general election. He was elected as chief minister of Punjab for the third time after provincial election in 2013. Sharif was nominated as the president of the PML(N) after his brother, Nawaz Sharif, was disqualified from holding office in the wake of the Panama Papers case.
Sharif was nominated as the leader of the opposition after the 2018 general election and elected as prime minister in April 2022 after the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan was passed. After the PML(N) won a plurality in the controversial 2024 general election, which was widely marred by allegations of electoral rigging and irregularities in his party's favour, Sharif became prime minister with a coalition government.
During his tenure, Pakistan has faced high inflation and economic difficulties, leading to greater reliance on petroleum levies and indirect taxation. His government has been criticized for increasing privileges for parliamentarians, introducing constitutional amendments affecting the judiciary and military command structure, and its treatment of the political opposition. He has also faced domestic and international criticism over restriction on free expression, violence against journalists, human rights violations, misuse of cyber laws, and digital censorship. Critics have accused his government of weakening fundamemntal rights and institutions and of seeking greater influence over judicial and military appointments. He has also been accused by opposition groups and other critics of benefiting from irregularities and alleged rigging in the 2024 general elections, allegations that have been disputed by the government.
On foreign policy, he received international praise for Pakistan's diplomatic role in efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States and for strengthening defence cooperation with other countries through the Mecca defence pact.
Early life and education Sharif was born on 23 September 1951 in Lahore, West Punjab. His family is Punjabi with Kashmiri ancestry. Sharif's father, Mian Muhammad Sharif, was an upper-middle-class businessman and industrialist whose family had emigrated from Anantnag in Kashmir for business, and eventually settled in the village of Jati Umra in Amritsar district, Punjab, at the beginning of the twentieth century. His mother's family came from Pulwama. Following the partition of India and Pakistan's independence in 1947, his parents migrated from Amritsar to Lahore. He has two brothers: Abbas Sharif and Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz is a three-time elected prime minister of Pakistan, serving the longest non-consecutive tenure in the role. Nawaz's wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, was the first lady of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz is the current chief minister of Punjab.
Sharif attended St. Anthony High School, Lahore, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Government College University, Lahore. After his graduation, he joined his family-owned Ittefaq Group. He was elected president of Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 1985.
Early political career Sharif began his political career after getting elected to the Punjab Assembly from Constituency PP-122 (Lahore-VII) as a candidate of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) in the 1988 general election. He had 22,372 votes and defeated a candidate of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). However, his term prematurely ended in 1990 when the assemblies were dissolved.
He was re-elected to the Provincial Assembly of Punjab from Constituency PP-124 (Lahore-IX) as an IJI candidate in the 1990 general election. He received 26,408 votes and defeated a candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDA). In the same election, he was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from Constituency NA-96 (Lahore-V) as a candidate of IJI. He secured 54,506 votes and defeated Jehangir Bader. He vacated the Punjab Assembly seat to retain his National Assembly seat. His term prematurely ended in 1993 when the assemblies were dissolved.
In April 1993, the widow of Chief of Army Staff General Asif Nawaz Janjua, alleged that Brigadier Imtiaz Ahmed, head of the Intelligence Bureau, Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, and Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan had planned to eliminate her husband.
He was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly from Constituency PP-125 (Lahore-X) as a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)), a new party founded by his brother, Nawaz, in the 1993 general election. He received 28,068 votes and defeated a candidate of PPP. In the same election, he was re-elected to the National Assembly from Constituency NA-96 (Lahore-V) as a candidate of the PML(N). He secured 55,867 votes and defeated Yousuf Salahuddin. He vacated the National Assembly seat and retained his Provincial Punjab Assembly seat. Shortly after the election, he was elected Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. During his tenure as Leader of the Opposition, he travelled to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. In his absence, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was made Acting Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. His term as a member of the Punjab Assembly and Leader of the Opposition prematurely ended in November 1996 when the assemblies were dissolved.
Chief Minister of Punjab (1997–1999) and exile
Sharif was re-elected to the Punjab Assembly from Constituency PP-125 (Lahore-X) as a candidate of the PML(N) in the 1997 Punjab provincial election. He received 25,013 votes and defeated a candidate of PPP. In the same election, he was re-elected to the National Assembly from Constituency NA-96 (Lahore-V) as a candidate of PML(N). He secured 47,614 votes and defeated Hanif Ramay. He was elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab for the first time and was sworn in as 13th Chief Minister of Punjab on 20 February 1997.
Sharif focused on healthcare, education, agriculture and the promotion of industry in Punjab. He undertook several development projects in Lahore and launched a crackdown on criminals across the province to maintain law and order. Sharif introduced a series of educational reforms such as reformed exams in a variety of subjects, as well as self-finance schemes for students.
He held his office until 12 October 1999, when he was removed from the post of Chief Minister in the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état.
In 1999, a complainant, Saeeduddin, lodged a first information report and accused Sharif of allowing the Punjab Police, as chief minister, to kill his son along with other men in a fake encounter. In the encounter, his two sons and three other people were killed by the police. Following the coup Sharif was imprisoned. In December 2000, he, along with his immediate family members, struck a deal with Pervez Musharraf negotiated by the Saudi royal family and went into exile in Saudi Arabia.
While in exile in Saudi Arabia, Sharif was elected as the PML(N) President in August 2002 and moved to the United Kingdom in 2003 for medical treatment.
In 2003, an anti-terrorism court summoned Sharif and five others accused in alleged extrajudicial killings in 1998. He was in the exile at that time and failed to show-up to the court. Later, the court issued an arrest warrant for Sharif. In 2004, Sharif attempted to return to Pakistan to appear before the court, but was forcibly deported back to Saudi Arabia.
In August 2007, the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave its verdict which allowed the Sharif and Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan. In September 2007, an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan ordered police to arrest Sharif based on a 2003 arrest warrant. He later received bail from an anti-terrorism court. Sharif denied ordering the alleged killings and said the charges against him were politically motivated. He further added that in 2004, he had landed at Lahore Airport, wanting to appear before the court, but was sent back to Saudi Arabia by the government in violation of the orders of the Supreme Court. In 2008, he was acquitted by the Anti-Terrorism Court in the Sabzazar case.
Sharif was re-elected as PML(N) President for a second term in August 2006 and returned to Pakistan along with Nawaz Sharif in November 2007.
Sharif was ineligible to take part in the 2008 general election due to the Sabzazar case, but a few months later he was acquitted by the court.
On 14 July 2019, the Daily Mail published a news with the headline: "Did the family of Pakistani politician who has become the poster boy for British overseas aid STEAL funds meant for earthquake victims?" According to the report, Shehbaz stole aid funds from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) following the 2005 earthquake. It was written by Daily Mail journalist David Rose. Investigations have shown that the donated more than £500 million to the earthquake victims in Pakistan through the DFID, a UK government organisation.
David Rose claimed Shehbaz used the aid funds to send one million pounds through money laundering to his frontman Aftab Mehmood, a British citizen of Pakistani descent, who then gave the money to Shehbaz's family. Shehbaz and his family allegedly stole British citizens' tax relief funds, according to news reports. Salman Shehbaz, Shehbaz's son, refuted this information.
A DFID representative referred to the reports as "baseless" and "fabricated" on the organisation's website, and in January 2020, Shehbaz filed a claim for damages against the Daily Mail and Rose in the Royal Court of Justice in London.
According to court documents, the Daily Mail took almost three years to submit a defence of Rose's story. On 20 April 2020, Justice Matthew Nicklin issued the initial order for the listing hearing window running from 21 April 2020 to 31 July 2020. On 7 May 2020, Justice Nicklin issued a second ruling that extended the due dates. On 20 October 2020, Justice Nicklin issued the first order, merging the claims of Shehbaz and his son-in-law Yousaf. On 28 January 2021, Justice Nicklin issued another order pertaining to the preliminary issue trial. The verdict and order were delivered on 5 February 2021. Justice Nicklin ruled at the meaning hearing at the London High Court in favour of the PML(N). Justice Nicklin determined that the Mail on Sunday's article carried the highest level of defamatory meaning for both Shehbaz and Yousaf.