Nawaz brother takes charge of party:

The brother of ousted Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif formally took charge of the country’s ruling party Tuesday, a day after being outmanoeuvred in elections for Senate chairman — sparking accusations of foul play.

The debacle at the Senate was the latest blow to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) following a string of court decisions targeting the party — including the removal of Nawaz from the premiership for graft in July.

Despite the loss at the Senate, newly minted PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif appeared upbeat during a rowdy party meeting in Islamabad, praising his brother’s leadership ahead of general elections due later year.

“Nobody including me can imagine taking the place of Nawaz Sharif,” Shahbaz told a roaring crowd chanting party slogans.

In late February, the party cleared the way for Shahbaz’s promotion to head the PML-N, spurring renewed speculation that he would be its choice for prime minister if it prevailed at the polls.

The younger Sharif, currently chief minister of powerful Punjab province, is seen as a political dealmaker, with many crediting him for successive byelection victories since his brother was ousted.