In two separate meetings on Saturday, headed by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League (N) leaders decided to rally behind Nawaz's younger brother, Shahbaz Sharif, as his eventual successor.
Additionally, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was tapped to take over as interim prime minister till the time Shahbaz is elected to parliament, and then to the prime minister's office.
The meetings came as the PML-N deliberated its political and legal options after Nawaz's disqualification and decided on who would take over the party's reins in parliament.
As part of this arrangement, Shahbaz will have to resign from his seat in the Punjab Assembly and his successor will also need to be chosen. Sources claim that Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman is likely to replace Shahbaz as the chief minister Punjab.
The decisions were made in two meetings, one informal and the other involving the PML-N's parliamentary committee, which were attended by close aides of the outgoing prime minister, including Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, Saad Rafique, Rana Tanveer, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Shahbaz Sharif along with other members of the PML-N's leadership.
A formal announcement has yet to be made.
