Hamza Shahbaz
Mian Muhammad Hamza Shahbaz (Punjabi, ; born 6 September 1974) is a Pakistani politician, 21st and current Chief Minister of Punjab. He took the oath of Chief Minister of Punjab on 30 April 2022, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan Raja Pervaiz Ashraf took his oath. He has been a member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab since August 2018. Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from June 2008 to May 2018. Early and personal life. Hamza was born on 6 September 1974<ref name="pildat/dob"></ref> to Shehbaz Sharif. He is a businessman  by profession and is known as 'Poultry King of Punjab'. He ran the family business when his family was in exile. He allegedly has three wives, one of whom is Ayesha Ahad Malik. Ayesha claimed she married Hamza in 2010. Hamza denied his marriage with Ayesha. He married Rabia Hamza in 2012. In 2018, he declared his two wives' details in his nomination papers, Mehrunissah Hamza and Rabia Hamza. Political career. Hamza participated in politics from early age and was imprisoned in Adiala Jail during his college life in 1994 along with other Pakistan Muslim League leaders. He began his  political career in October 1999 when Pervez Musharraf sent his father Shahbaz Sharif and uncle Nawaz Sharif into exile following the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état.<ref name="tribune/11may2013"></ref> Hamza was allowed to remain in Pakistan to look after family businesses.<ref name="dawn/7dec2012"></ref> In 2011, it was reported that the PML-N was considering promoting Hamza as the general-secretary of the Punjab chapter.<ref name="dawn/24july2011"></ref> He ran for the seat of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as an independent candidate from Constituency PP-142 (Lahore-VI) in 2008 Pakistani general election, but was unsuccessful. He received 111 votes and lost the seat  to Khawaja Salman Rafique. He was elected unopposed to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) from Constituency NA-119 (Lahore-II) in by-elections held in June 2008. Hamza was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-119 (Lahore-II) in 2013 Pakistani general election.<ref name="tribune/12may2013"></ref> In 2016, "Dawn" called Hamza as informal deputy prime minister of Pakistan and deputy chief minister of Punjab. He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-124 (Lahore-II) in  2018 Pakistani general election. In the same election, he was elected to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency PP-146 (Lahore-III).<ref name="nation/12aug2018"></ref> Following his successful election, he abandoned his national assembly seat in favor of the provincial assembly seat. On 13 August 2018, PML-N nominated him for the office of Chief Minister of Punjab. On 19 August 2018, he received 159 votes and lost the office to Sardar Usman Buzdar who secured 186 votes. On 25 August 2018, PML-N nominated Hamza for the office of the opposition leader in  Punjab Assembly. On 6 September 2018, he was appointed as Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly. Hamza Shehbaz ran for Chief Minister of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab and was elected on 16 April 2022 after getting 197 votes against his opponent Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. He is also serving as the Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) since May 2019 of which his father Mian Shahbaz Sharif is the President. Assets. In 2014, Dawn reported that Hamza Shahbaz Sharif is wealthier than his father, Shahbaz Sharif, with net assets of Rs 250.46m.<ref name="dawn/3jan2014"></ref> A  report noted Hamza's assets increased from Rs 583,191 declared in 2008 to Rs 211,080,295 in 2011.<ref name="thenews/14july2014"></ref> As of 2018, Hamza's declared asset worth was Rs 411 million.<ref name="dawn/21june2018"></ref> Corruption allegations. He was arrested on 11 June 2019 by the National Accountability Bureau over corruption charges. The arrest was made based on alleged money laundering and holding assets beyond means. In another scandal Federal Investigation Agency revealed 28 benami accounts through which reportedly money laundering of Rs. 16.3 bn was made through seventeen thousand credit transactions. FIA claimed that Eleven low-paid employees of the Sharif  group were used to excute these transactions. Hamza Shahbaz and his father Shehbaz Sharif were to be indicted on February 10, 2022. However, the indictment was delayed on 18, February 2022 by Special Central Court of Lahore. In the sugar scandal case Federal Investigation Agency alleged that money laundering of Rs. 25 bn was done using employees of Ramzan (RSML) and AI-Arabia Sugar Mills (ASML) using fake accounts. However, Hamza Shabaz denied these claims and termed it as business transaction. Hamza Shehbaz got pre-arrest bail in money laundering, and sugar scams on January 2022, and was subsequently granted  bail on 24 February 2021 by Lahore High Court over an asset beyond known means case.