Shehbaz Sharif
Pakistan’s current prime minister, three-time chief minister of Punjab and president of the PML-N — his career, his cabinets and the offices around him, explained.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
The Essentials
Key Facts at a Glance
Shehbaz Sharif in thirty seconds — the facts Pakistanis search for most.
Background
Who Is Shehbaz Sharif?
A businessman from Lahore who became the Sharif family’s administrator-in-chief — and Pakistan’s most durable chief executive.
Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was born on 23 September 1951 in Lahore, the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif and son of industrialist Muhammad Sharif. The family business, the Ittefaq Group, made him a businessman long before he was a politician — a background that still shapes his results-oriented style of administration.
His political career began in the late 1980s. He was elected to the Punjab Assembly in 1988, then to the National Assembly in 1990. He returned to the Punjab Assembly in 1993 as leader of the opposition, and after the PML-N’s 1997 victory he became chief minister for the first time, elected on 20 February 1997.
The 1999 coup ended that stint. After General Pervez Musharraf removed the Nawaz Sharif government in October 1999, Shehbaz was arrested and, in 2000, went into exile in Saudi Arabia alongside his brother. He returned to Pakistan in 2007, briefly held the Punjab chief ministership again in 2008, and then began the decade-long stretch as chief minister that defined his reputation.
When Nawaz Sharif was disqualified from holding office after the Panama Papers case in 2017, Shehbaz was nominated president of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), a position he still holds. After the 2018 general election he served as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly — the traditional launchpad for his first premiership.
The “Khadim-e-Ala” reputation
Shehbaz cultivated the title “Khadim-e-Ala” (chief servant of Punjab), positioning himself as the administrator who gets things built. Whether one credits or criticises his methods, his tenures in Lahore are remembered for visible, concrete projects delivered on aggressive timelines — a style his opponents call showmanship and his supporters call “Punjab Speed”.
The Punjab Years
Chief Minister of Punjab: Three Terms
No one has held Punjab’s top office longer — over 12 years across three stints.
The Young Administrator
Elected CM on 20 February 1997 after the PML-N’s landslide. The term was cut short by the October 1999 coup, but it introduced his hands-on governing style. Full story of the three terms →
Return and Rebuild
Back after exile, he led Punjab through flood relief, the Danish Schools initiative and power-crisis management, cementing the “Khadim-e-Ala” image. Projects and record →
The Infrastructure Decade
The Lahore Metro Bus (2013), the Orange Line Metro Train, the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro and the laptop scheme made this his signature term. Read the project list →
Many searchers type “prime minister of Punjab” — but Punjab has never had a prime minister. The province’s chief executive is the Chief Minister, an office Shehbaz Sharif held three times before it passed to Maryam Nawaz in 2024. Why “PM of Punjab” doesn’t exist →
Premiership I
First Term as Prime Minister (2022–23)
Shehbaz reached the top job through parliament, not a general election.
After the 2018 general election Shehbaz became leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. In April 2022, when a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan passed, the opposition nominated him as prime minister. He was elected on 11 April 2022 and governed for sixteen months.
That short first term was dominated by crises: a stalled IMF programme that his finance team revived, the 2022 super-floods that displaced millions, and soaring fuel prices. His government steered Pakistan through the IMF’s ninth review and completed its constitutional term in August 2023, handing over to a caretaker government ahead of the 2024 general election.
Premiership II
Current Term (2024–Present)
Re-elected after the disputed 2024 general election at the head of a broad coalition.
The 8 February 2024 general election gave the PML-N a plurality amid widespread allegations of rigging. Shehbaz stitched together a coalition and was re-elected prime minister by the National Assembly on 3 March 2024, securing 201 votes against 92 for the PTI-backed candidate Omar Ayub Khan. The federal cabinet was in place by 11 March 2024.
The coalition
His government rests on the PML-N plus the PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and Balochistan Awami Party, with Asif Ali Zardari as president. The arrangement gives Shehbaz a working majority but leaves him dependent on coalition partners for every major vote — the defining tension of this term. PM Shehbaz Sharif: full profile of his current term →
The economic programme
Immediately after taking office he appointed banker Muhammad Aurangzeb as finance minister, directed preparations for a national economic revival plan, and opened talks with the IMF. The government secured a $7 billion IMF programme in September 2024, then launched Uraan Pakistan, a five-year plan built on five “Es” — Exports, E-Pakistan, Equity and Empowerment, Environment/Food/Water Security, and Energy and Infrastructure — targeting 6% annual GDP growth and $60 billion in exports by 2028, with a trillion-dollar economy by 2035.
On the world stage
In his second term Shehbaz has leaned heavily into foreign policy: Pakistan-China cooperation under CPEC, ties with Gulf states, and in September 2026 an address to the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, where he called for dialogue over confrontation and raised the Kashmir dispute and the Indus Waters Treaty. Read our report: Shehbaz Sharif meets Trump at the UNGA reception banquet →
The Power Map
His Government Today
The key office-holders around the prime minister as of October 2026.
| Office | Holder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister | Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif | PML-N |
| President | Asif Ali Zardari | PPP |
| Deputy PM & Foreign Minister | Ishaq Dar | PML-N |
| Defence Minister | Khawaja Asif | PML-N |
| Finance Minister | Muhammad Aurangzeb | PML-N |
| Planning Minister | Ahsan Iqbal | PML-N |
| CM Punjab | Maryam Nawaz | PML-N |
| CM Sindh | Murad Ali Shah | PPP |
| CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | Sohail Afridi | PTI |
| CM Balochistan | Sarfraz Bugti | PPP |
For the full roster of provincial leadership, see current chief ministers of Pakistan and how provincial cabinets work. The deputy prime minister’s other hat — foreign affairs — is covered in our guide to Pakistan’s CMs and federal leadership.
Cleared Up
“CM of Pakistan” and “Prime Minister of Punjab”
Two of the most-searched phrases about Shehbaz Sharif — both rest on a misunderstanding.
Is there a “CM of Pakistan”?
No. “Chief Minister” is a provincial office. Pakistan’s head of government is the Prime Minister — Shehbaz Sharif. Each of the four provinces has its own chief minister: Maryam Nawaz (Punjab), Murad Ali Shah (Sindh), Sohail Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Sarfraz Bugti (Balochistan). Full explanation of the CM office →
Is there a “Prime Minister of Punjab”?
No. Punjab’s chief executive is its Chief Minister. The confusion is understandable — Shehbaz Sharif was Punjab’s chief minister for over a decade before becoming prime minister of the whole country, so many Pakistanis associate him with the province’s top job. Since February 2024 that office has belonged to his niece, Maryam Nawaz, the first woman to lead a Pakistani province. Why the “PM of Punjab” doesn’t exist →
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions Pakistanis ask most about Shehbaz Sharif — answered.
Who is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan?
Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was elected by the National Assembly on 3 March 2024 for his second term, after earlier serving as prime minister from April 2022 to August 2023.
Is it Shehbaz Sharif or Shahbaz Sharif?
Shehbaz is the official spelling the prime minister uses. Shahbaz is a common variant used by media and searchers — both refer to the same person, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. More on the name and his biography →
How many times has Shehbaz Sharif been Chief Minister of Punjab?
Three times: 1997–99, 2008–13 and 2013–18 — over 12 years in total, making him the longest-serving chief minister in Punjab’s history.
Who is the Chief Minister of Punjab now?
Maryam Nawaz has been Chief Minister of Punjab since 26 February 2024 — the first woman to head a Pakistani province. She is Shehbaz Sharif’s niece, the daughter of Nawaz Sharif.
Which party does Shehbaz Sharif belong to?
The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), which he leads as party president. His coalition government also includes the PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, IPP and BAP.
How old is Shehbaz Sharif?
Born on 23 September 1951 in Lahore, Shehbaz Sharif is 75 years old as of October 2026.
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