ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has nominated his brother Shahbaz as successor in a speech to his party, and said on Saturday he would like close ally Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to be interim prime minister.

"I have quit my office, so someone has to take it, and after a lot of consultations... Shahbaz Sharif is nominated," Sharif said. He criticised the Supreme Court verdict that disqualified him as premier for not declaring a source of income.

Shahbaz Sharif is the chief minister of the vast Punjab province and cannot become prime minister until he wins a parliamentary by-election. Abbasi, 58, is seen as a staunch Sharif loyalist and was minister for petroleum in his last cabinet.