After the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif, who has served as Punjab chief minister thrice, is a strong candidate for the premier’s slot. Shehbaz is the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, who served as prime minister of the country thrice.

Following is the timeline of his political career, according to an Aaj News report.

• 1988: He was elected as an MPA in Punjab Assembly from PP-122.
• 1990: He was elected as a National Assembly member from NA-96.
• 1993: He was elected as leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly.
• 1997: He was elected as the 13th chief minister of Punjab.
• From 1999 to 2007: He was in exile in Saudi Arabia along with other family members, including Nawaz.
• 2008: After emerging victorious in the by-polls, he was elected the Punjab chief minister for the second time.
• 2013: He secured Punjab Assembly's seat again in the 2013 general election and was elected chief minister for the third time.
• 2018: He became leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi will contest for the PM’s slot against Shehbaz to become the 23rd prime minister of the country. He is the son of former Punjab governor and close associate of dictator Zia ul Haq, Sajid Hussain Qureshi.

Following is the timeline of Qureshi’s political career, according to an Aaj News report.

• 1985: He was elected as an independent candidate and joined PML-N.
• 1988: He was part of the then PML-N chief minister Nawaz Sharif’s provincial cabinet in Punjab.
• 1990: He emerged victorious on the ticket of PML-N from Multan.
• 1993: He joined the Pakistan People’s Party. Qureshi was elected as an MNA and was appointed as a federal minister in the then prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s cabinet.
• 1997: Makhdom Javed Hashmi defeated Qureshi in the elections.
• 2000: He served Multan as a mayor
• 2008: After emerging victorious in the general election, he was appointed as a foreign minister in the then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’s cabinet.
• 2011: Following the Raymond Davis incident, he was removed from the federal minister’s post. Soon he left the PPP over differences with the party leadership and joined the PTI.
• 2013: He was elected as an MNA on the ticket of PTI – which was a part of the opposition in the National Assembly.
• 2018: After being elected as an MNA, he was once again assigned to the foreign affairs ministry former prime ministerImran Khan's cabinet.