Islamabad: A day after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for life by Pakistan's Supreme Court, reports on Saturday said that names of Punjab Province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sharif's wife Kulsoom Nawaz are doing the rounds for the top post.
Interestingly, reports on Friday had claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had decided to make Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Nawaz's brother, as the new Prime Minister.
Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing the beleaguered leader out of office.
PML-N’s parliamentary party will meet today to finalise new PM's name.
A five-judge bench unanimously disqualified Nawaz Sharif from his post after an investigative panel linked his grown up children to offshore companies, showing that their wealth was far above their legitimate earnings.
The Supreme Court also ordered the National Accountability Bureau to start a corruption case against Sharif, his children -- Hussain and Hassan -- and his daughter Maryam.
The Supreme Court ordered that the cases against them be registered within six weeks and trial be completed within six months after the registration of the cases.
The Panama Papers leaks of April 2016 revealed that three of Sharif's children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his family's wealth statement. This was apparently used to channel funds to acquire foreign assets, including in London.
The court has recommended that anti-corruption cases should be registered against several individuals including Sharif, his daughter Maryam and her husband Mohammad Safdar, Sharif's sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz as well as Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
Whoever replaces Sharif will have to tackle Pakistan's worsening ties with the United States, frayed relations with India, and persistent attacks by Islamist militants including the Pakistani Taliban and Islamic State. The economy is benefiting from vast investment from China, but economists are concerned about falling currency reserves and dwindling exports.
The ouster of Sharif, 67, who has now had three separate stints as prime minister, raises questions about Pakistan's fragile democracy. No prime minister has completed a full term since independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
The court verdict marks a major political victory for opposition leader Imran Khan, a former cricket star who last year threatened mass street protests unless Sharif's wealth was investigated.
Khan pounced on the leaking of the Panama Papers, which revealed Sharif's family had bought expensive London apartments through offshore companies.
"Today is a victory day for Pakistan," said Khan. "Today onward, big thieves will be caught."
Khan is himself under a Supreme Court investigation on allegations he failed to declare sources of income, a charge he denies.
