ISLAMABAD (AP) — After winning the position in a boisterous parliamentary session the previous day, Shehbaz Sharif took the oath of office as Pakistan’s new prime minister on Monday. In the 77-year history of Pakistan, Sharif is the 24th prime minister.
From April 2022 until August 2023, he served in the same capacity, succeeding bitter rival Imran Khan, who was removed from office following a vote of no confidence. Nawaz Sharif, the three-time prime minister, has a younger brother named Shehbaz.
The legislative elections held last month, which his opponents believed were rigged in his favor, have cast doubt on his appointment.
Although Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party claims to have performed better in the election, it was unable to secure a parliamentary majority due to electoral fraud and other issues.
Despite not winning enough seats to form a government, Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party, the PML-N, formed a coalition with other parties to gain a majority, which allowed him to become prime minister for a second time.
He defeated Omar Ayub, the PTI-backed nominee, with 201 votes in parliament to take over as prime minister. Ayub received 92 votes.
The swearing-in ceremony took place in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, on Monday. The oath of office was administered by President Arif.
In order to maintain the independence, “integrity, stability, and for the sake of unity” of the nation, Sharif promised to carry out his responsibilities with commitment and honesty.
However, Pakistani politics lack consistency and togetherness, thus Sharif faces a difficult task in uniting parliamentarians to guide the nation through difficult times.
Because of their electoral grievances, the opposition has been yelling and jeering at the new government during the first two boisterous sessions of parliament.
Commotion In The Legislature
The PTI-backed SIC lawmakers’ chants accusing Shehbaz of using electoral manipulation to win power caused the National Assembly session to begin late and disorderly on Sunday.
During his victory speech, PTI-affiliated lawmakers erupted in loud protest, chanting “Thieves!” in reference to the Sharif brothers’ alleged wrongdoing. Sharif said, “We will change the fate of Pakistan.”
When Nawaz Sharif went into self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom in 2018, he was found guilty of corruption. In October of last year, he came back for the polls.
Shehbaz thanked the allies and his older brother in his speech for helping him become prime minister. He claimed, “Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari—the last two being his PPP allies—never even thought of harming Pakistan.”
The recently elected prime minister declared his intention to establish political stability in the nation. He vowed to maintain tight communication with all four provinces, saying, “We will work closely with them.”
During his speech, Omar Ayub Khan, the opposition leader, supported Imran Khan, who was imprisoned, and charged Shehbaz with breaking the law himself.
Khan addressed the parliament, saying, “They put our leaders in jail, took our election symbol, and rigged the elections, but we kept standing, and we will stand our ground.” He declared, “The country has rejected all the charges [in the election].”
Pakistan, a nation of 241 million people, is grappling with a faltering economy, a rapidly deteriorating security environment, and political instability.
Leaders of Iran, Turkiye, China congratulate Shehbaz Sharif for winning Pakistani PM election
Premier Li Qiang and Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Mr. Sharif, with the former stating that the nation would undoubtedly make more progress toward its goals of national growth and advancement under the new PM.
In order to maximize benefits for the people of both countries, Xi emphasized that China and Pakistan should maintain their long-standing friendship, expand their mutual understanding and collaboration in all spheres of life, work together to upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, deepen their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and create a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi congratulated the other country and expressed optimism that both will put in more effort to fortify and broaden their cooperation. He declared, “Iran is ready to enhance and expand all facets of bilateral relations.”
Dr. Reza Amiri Moghadam, the ambassador from Tehran, also congratulated the new prime minister and expressed Iran’s readiness to further its relationships and collaboration with Pakistan, its neighbor.
Anwaarul Haq Kakar, the outgoing caretaker prime minister, also wished PM-elect Shehbaz well on his victory and felicitated him on his significant path into leadership.
He wrote on X, “May your tenure bring prosperity, progress, and unity to our beloved nation.”
Tehrik-i-Istaqlal With the PML-N and PPP joining forces, President Rehmat Khan Wardag declared that the nation was now heading toward political stability.
Mr. Wardag brings up the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s 2013 offer to make amends with the PTI. He claims that now that Sharif has extended an olive branch to the same opposition party, Imran Khan ought to have the courage to accept it in the interest of maintaining political and economic stability in the country.
He warned that the PTI will suffer the same fate as nationalists if it does not resort to the legal channels for the resolution of its disputes rather than causing turmoil throughout the nation.
Opponents
Sirajul Haq, the leader of Jamaat-i-Islami, however, questioned how the new prime minister expected the other parties to sign a reconciliation pact or a charter of economy after their mandate was “stolen” in the polls on February 8.
In addition, he voiced amazement at PM-elect Shehbaz’s belief that anyone whose mandate was stolen had to keep quiet rather than pursue legal action.
Mr. Haq urged every member of parliament who believed that the election on February 8 had been rigged to step down from their position and join the anti-election rigging movement.
Haqooq-i-Farooq Tariq, the general secretary of the Khalq Party, stated that he anticipated more austerity, price increases, privatization, the complete fulfillment of donor conditions that are anti-people, and the maintenance of the establishment’s indirect rule following Shehbaz Sharif’s election as prime minister.
Business sector
The farming-focused research group Agriculture Republic applauded PM-elect Shahbaz for his dedication to tackling the nation’s most important issues, such as the economy, climate change, and food security.
During Mr. Sharif’s previous administration, Aamer Bhandara, a member of several significant committees, emphasized the significance of agricultural reforms that would assist small-scale farmers as well as large farms.
In order to protect food security in these vulnerable areas, he emphasizes the necessity of clear policies and oversight, particularly in the agriculture sector.
In addition to congratulating PM-elect Shehbaz, the Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) expressed optimism that a new age of “Pakistan Speed” will soon be experienced by the business community.
According to APP, the PBF demanded in a statement that a 20-year economic vision for the nation be formulated, with all political parties signing a “charter of the economy” and creating an economic development roadmap.
