Shahbaz Sharif Pakistan: Biography, Age, Party and Family

Whether you spell it Shahbaz Sharif or Shehbaz Sharif, you’re looking for the same man: Pakistan’s current prime minister. This is the concise biography — age, family, party, education and career milestones — for everyone who wants the facts without the politics.

In this guide: Fast facts · Family and early life · Career timeline · The name spelling · FAQs

Shahbaz Sharif: Fast Facts

• Full name: Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif
• Born: 23 September 1951, Lahore (age 75 as of October 2026)
• Current office: Prime Minister of Pakistan (second term, since March 2024)
• Party: Pakistan Muslim League (N) — party president
• Previous offices: Chief Minister of Punjab (1997–99, 2008–13, 2013–18); Leader of the Opposition (2018–22); PM first term (2022–23)
• Family: Younger brother of Nawaz Sharif; father Muhammad Sharif (industrialist, Ittefaq Group)
• Known as: “Khadim-e-Ala” (chief servant of Punjab)

Family and Early Life

Shehbaz Sharif was born into Lahore’s most consequential political-industrial family. His father, Muhammad Sharif, built the Ittefaq Group steel business; his elder brother Nawaz Sharif became prime minister three times (1990–93, 1997–99, 2013–17). The family’s combined political footprint — two brothers as prime ministers, a niece now governing Punjab — is unmatched in Pakistani politics.

Unlike his brother, Shehbaz entered politics as the family’s administrator: first elected to the Punjab Assembly in 1988, then the National Assembly in 1990, then back to Punjab as opposition leader in 1993. His early reputation was built on constituency work and an obsessive attention to administrative detail — traits that later defined his chief ministerships.

Career Timeline

• 1988 — Elected to the Punjab Assembly.
• 1990 — Elected to the National Assembly.
• 1993 — Returns to the Punjab Assembly as leader of the opposition.
• 1997 — Becomes Chief Minister of Punjab for the first time (20 February).
• 1999–2007 — Arrested after the October 1999 coup; exiled to Saudi Arabia (2000); returns 2007.
• 2008–2018 — Second and third terms as Punjab CM; the “Khadim-e-Ala” decade.
• 2017 — Becomes PML-N president after Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification.
• 2018–2022 — Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.
• 2022–2023 — First term as Prime Minister of Pakistan (from 11 April 2022).
• 2024–present — Second term as prime minister, elected 3 March 2024 with 201 votes.

The full career story — including his governments’ policies — is told in our complete Shehbaz Sharif guide, with his Punjab years in the three CM terms and his current premiership in PM Shehbaz Sharif’s 2024–present record.

Shehbaz vs Shahbaz: The Spelling

Officially — on government notifications, the PM’s office website and his party’s records — it is Shehbaz. The Shahbaz variant is used by much of the Urdu and English press and by millions of searchers, which is why both spellings return the same person in search results. Wikipedia’s article is filed under “Shehbaz Sharif”; our own profile is at featurepakistan.com/shahbaz-sharif/. Either way, there is exactly one Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shahbaz Sharif’s age?

Born 23 September 1951, he is 75 years old as of October 2026.

Is Shahbaz Sharif related to Nawaz Sharif?

Yes — he is Nawaz Sharif’s younger brother. Their niece/daughter Maryam Nawaz is the current Chief Minister of Punjab.

Which party is Shahbaz Sharif in?

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), which he leads as party president.

What was Shahbaz Sharif before becoming PM?

Chief Minister of Punjab three times (1997–99, 2008–13, 2013–18) and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly (2018–22), before his first premiership in April 2022.