Before he was prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif (often spelled Shahbaz Sharif) was Punjab’s chief minister three times — 1997–99, 2008–13 and 2013–18 — the longest anyone has held the office. This is the complete story of those three terms: how he got the job each time, what defined each stint, and why “Khadim-e-Ala” became his political identity.
Quick answer: Shehbaz Sharif was Chief Minister of Punjab from 1997–99 (cut short by the 1999 coup), 2008–13 (return from exile, flood relief, Danish Schools) and 2013–18 (metro projects, Orange Line, laptop scheme). His 12+ years in the office remain the longest in Punjab’s history.
In this guide: First term (1997–99) · Second term (2008–13) · Third term (2013–18) · The governing style · FAQs
First Term (1997–99): The Young Administrator
After the PML-N’s sweeping victory in the 1997 general election, Shehbaz Sharif was elected chief minister of Punjab on 20 February 1997. He had already served as leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly after the 1993 election, and the province’s voters knew him as the Sharif family’s administrator.
The first term introduced his hallmark: personal, hands-on governance — surprise inspections, direct orders to bureaucrats, and a focus on visible delivery. It lasted just over two and a half years: the October 1999 military coup removed the Nawaz Sharif government, and Shehbaz was arrested. In 2000 he went into exile in Saudi Arabia, returning to Pakistan only in 2007.
Second Term (2008–13): Return From Exile
After the PML-N’s victory in Punjab in the 2008 general election, Shehbaz returned as chief minister — the term that built the “Khadim-e-Ala” (chief servant) brand. The defining tests were crises: the 2010 super-floods, which devastated southern Punjab, and the grinding electricity shortages that crippled industry.
His response set the template for everything after: daily review meetings, publicised deadlines, and a string of welfare initiatives — the Danish Schools network for underprivileged children, subsidised transport, and aggressive policing drives in Lahore. Critics called it centralised showmanship; supporters called it the only government that got things done. Either way, it made him the PML-N’s most electorally bankable figure in the province.
Third Term (2013–18): The Infrastructure Decade
The third term, after the PML-N’s 2013 victory, was the most consequential — the one that still defines Lahore’s skyline. The headline projects:
- Lahore Metro Bus (2013) — Pakistan’s first metro bus line, built in under a year.
- Orange Line Metro Train — Lahore’s first metro rail, opened in 2020 after starting under his watch.
- Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus — linking the twin cities.
- Laptop scheme — free laptops for high-achieving university students, a signature youth outreach.
- Multan, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi development packages — roads, underpasses and flyovers across the province.
The term ended in May 2018 with the assemblies’ dissolution ahead of the general election. The PML-N lost Punjab that year — and Shehbaz, now party president after Nawaz’s disqualification, moved to the National Assembly as leader of the opposition. For the projects in detail, see Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif: the project record.
The Governing Style: What “Punjab Speed” Meant
Shehbaz’s Punjab was run like a family business: centralised decisions, 7am meetings, and a bureaucracy kept on a short leash. The “Khadim-e-Ala” title — literally “chief servant of the province” — was both a slogan and a governing philosophy: the chief minister as the province’s chief project manager.
The model had admirers and detractors. Admirers point to delivered projects and the province’s relative stability; detractors argue it weakened institutions by concentrating power in one office, and that the metro-heavy development model favoured Lahore over southern Punjab. What no one disputes: his Punjab years made him the only Sharif with a mass reputation as an administrator — the credential that carried him to the prime ministership in 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times was Shahbaz Sharif CM of Punjab?
Three times: 1997–99, 2008–13 and 2013–18 — over 12 years total, the longest anyone has served as Punjab’s chief minister.
Why was his first term cut short?
The October 1999 military coup removed the Nawaz Sharif government. Shehbaz was arrested and went into exile in Saudi Arabia in 2000, returning in 2007.
What is the Orange Line Metro Train?
Lahore’s first metro rail line, launched during Shehbaz Sharif’s third term as Punjab CM and opened in 2020 — the flagship of his infrastructure programme.
Who succeeded Shehbaz Sharif as Punjab CM?
After his third term ended in 2018, the office passed through Usman Buzdar (PTI, 2018–22), Hamza Shahbaz and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, and since 26 February 2024 has been held by Maryam Nawaz — see the current chief ministers.
