Raheel Sharif’s older brother, Shabbir Sharif, a course-mate of Musharraf, was killed during the 1971 war with India. Musharraf later mentored Raheel Sharif, and handed him command of the 11 Infantry Division in Lahore. In spite of their common surname, Raheel Sharif isn’t related to the Sharif family–but is known to be close to one of their key confidantes, tribal affairs minister Lieutenant-General Abdul Qadir Baloch.