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Sharif was elected to the post at a meeting of the PML-N's Central Working Committee and Central Parliamentary Party despite the fact that he did not contest the polls as his nominations were rejected by the Election Commission.
His brother Shahbaz Sharif, the former chief minister of Punjab, was elected the leader of the party for the politically crucial province though he too was barred from contesting the polls as he is an accused in a case of extra-judicial killings.
Sharif was barred from contesting the polls due to his conviction on charges of terrorism and hijacking. The charges related to Sharif's order to turn back an plane bringing then army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan from a foreign trip in 1999. The move led to the bloodless coup in which Musharraf deposed Sharif and later became President.
Both brothers have dismissed the charges that led to the rejection of their nomination papers. The PML-N said before the polls that Sharif would be its prime ministerial candidate and efforts would be made to get him elected to the National Assembly through a by-election.
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