Sharif takes oath as PM, wants peace in Afghanistan

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan on Monday when 174 legislators voted in his favour.

Before the voting process got under way, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmakers boycotted the election and walked out of the National Assembly — the lower house of parliament.

Ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PTI’s nominee for the prime ministerial position, said all members of his party would resign en masse from the lower house.

Ayaz Sadiq chaired the session following former deputy speaker Qasim Suri refused to conduct the proceedings. Suri said he would not like to act against his conscience.

President Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan after 174 lawmakers voted in his favour after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNAs boycotted the election.

President Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan after 174 lawmakers voted in his favour after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNAs boycotted the election.

Left alone in the electoral race, Sharif won 174 votes from the members present in the assembly. Sadiq announced the result amid a thunderous applause from party lawmakers.

Speaking after his election, Sharif pledged stout support for the people of Afghanistan, Kashmir and Palestine.”We sincerely desire peace in Afghanistan.”

In his maiden speech as premier, the new leader of the house promised to hike the minimum wage to Rs25,000and grant a 10 percent increase in pensions with effect from April 1.

At 9.00pm, the new PM formally took oath of office from the Senate chairman at the President House. Earlier, President Arif Alvi (of PTI) tweeted he was going on leave for a few days on medical grounds.

mud

Hits: 11