On 17 August 2018, Imran Khan nominated him as PTI's candidate for the office of Chief Minister of Punjab. His nomination surprised many in the PTI and received criticism, as he was a relatively lesser known figure in Pakistan's political spectrum. According to Khan, he chose to support Buzdar because Buzdar hailed from an economically backwards area of Punjab, and was the only member of the Punjab Assembly who lacked electricity at his home. Other analysts claimed the selection was because Buzdar lacked an independent power base, and was thus totally reliant on Khan to hold on to his post.
