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Article snippet: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — With his term as Nawaz Sharif announced publicly on Saturday that he was choosing his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, to be his long-term replacement as prime minister and as the party’s standard bearer. On one level, it was a clear choice. Over the past four years, as chief minister of Punjab Province, Pakistan’s most crucial political power base, Shehbaz Sharif, 65, has presided over a high-profile campaign of infrastructure improvements and social development programs. “After losing out on the legal front, Nawaz Sharif cannot afford to also compromise on the integrity of his party,” said Rana Jawad, the news director of Pakistan’s most popular news channel, Geo News. “Shehbaz is an obvious choice to keep both the party united and carry brand Sharif forward.” Where his older brother has been criticized in recent years for a low-energy style in power, Shehbaz Sharif has nurtured a nearly opposite reputation. He has become known for surprise inspection “raids” of hospitals or schools, even in Punjab’s smaller towns, and his aides describe him as a workaholic with a taste for 7 a.m. staff meetings. Even his socks are vibrant — he will wear colorfully striped socks even when formally dressed. But the choice is not without risk for the Sharifs’ party, the Pakistan Muslim League. Though he is seen as popular, Shehbaz Sharif has also been dogged by accusations of police brutality under his watch as Punjab’s chief minister. And he has been critic... Link to the full article to read more