Shehbaz Sharif swears in as Pakistan Prime Minister

Shehbaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), swore in as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan, as reported by Dawn on Monday. The swearing-in occurred amidst nationwide protests led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has alleged electoral irregularities in the recent general elections.

President Arif Alvi administered the oath of office to Shehbaz at the Aiwan-i-Sadr. The ceremony was attended by various dignitaries, including former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and the chief ministers of Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan, according to Dawn.

Shehbaz Sharif secured 201 votes in the National Assembly, defeating his rival Omar Ayub Khan, who was supported by the PTI, to become the Prime Minister. The formation of the government followed prolonged negotiations involving PML(N), PPP, and smaller parties.

PTI leader Meher Bano Qureshi expressed the possibility of presenting a no-confidence motion against Shehbaz Sharif, as reported by Dawn. She emphasized the importance of restoring their electoral mandate and seeking justice from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the courts. PTI MNA Gohar Ali Khan criticized Shehbaz Sharif’s election, labeling it as a “sad day for democracy” during his speech in the National Assembly. He questioned the legitimacy of Shehbaz Sharif’s long-standing political tenure and expressed concerns over entrusting Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities to someone without a clear public mandate.