ISLAMABAD: Shehbaz Sharif, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was sworn in as the country’s 23rd prime minister on Monday at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad, in a historic moment for the country.
In President Dr Arif Alvi’s absence, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani delivered the oath to Shehbaz, who was on’sick’ leave ahead of the PML-N president’s inauguration.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and PML-N leaders Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and Rana Sanaullah were among those present at the inauguration event held at President House in the federal capital.
The ceremony was also attended by General Nadeem Raza, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the naval head, the air chief, and other senior military and civilian leaders.
Earlier in the day, the National Assembly chose Shehbaz as Pakistan’s next prime minister after members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced their resignations from the lower chamber of parliament, allowing the opposition to run.
“Mian Shehbaz Sharif has been officially elected Prime Minister,” Ayaz Sadiq said after the counting was completed.
The PML-N leader, who was nominated by the combined opposition parties, won 174 votes for the top job, just days after PTI president Imran Khan was deposed by the opposition parties in a no-trust vote.
Despite the fact that the opposition alliance had the support of PTI dissidents, they did not vote and instead stayed in opposition lobbies.
PM-elect Shehbaz thanked Pakistan’s Supreme Court for finding the deputy speaker’s order unlawful and “burying the notion of necessity forever” in his speech.
Despite the fact that the opposition parties have the support of PTI dissidents, they did not vote on Monday and instead stayed in the opposition’s lobbies.
Shehbaz said he would quit if it was confirmed that the opposition was involved in the ‘foreign conspiracy,’ and that an in-camera briefing on the purported threatening letter will be held soon.
“Dialogue should replace deadlock, since change will not come just through statements,” the prime minister-elect said, dismissing treason claims levelled at opposition parties. He emphasised the importance of achieving cohesion in order to move forward, particularly in resolving the country’s economic problems.
The Prime Minister-designate referred to him as “Khadim-e-Pakistan” (chief servant of Pakistan), a title that recalls Shehbaz’s designation as “Khadim-e-Aala” when he was Punjab’s chief minister.
