ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif was on Monday sworn in as the country’s 24th prime minister at the presidential house in the federal capital. President Dr. Arif Alvi administered the oath to the newly elected Prime Minister at a ceremony attended by several dignitaries including Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munir.
Meanwhile, leaders of major political parties in the country such as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Mutahidda Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) have, among others .attended the swearing-in ceremony. Leaders included PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
The chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan — Maryam Nawaz, Murad Ali Shah and Sarfraz Bugti were also present at the ceremony. Ambassadors and diplomats from various countries were also present. After the swearing-in ceremony, the Prime Minister was presented with a guard of honor. Shehbaz was elected prime minister on Sunday, retaining the title after a 16-month stint in the coveted top job from April 2022 to August 2023.
This is the second time that Shehbaz will serve the nation as prime minister after getting 201 votes against his Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) opponent Omar Ayub Khan, backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who got 92 votes in a landslide. session of the lower house of parliament. Shehbaz’s victory was expected as he enjoyed the support of seven other parties besides the PML-N.
Also read: Supreme Court reserves verdict on Bhutto reference
The Prime Minister-elect is supported by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia ( PML-Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and National Party (NP). Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar would welcome the new Prime Minister on his arrival at the Prime Minister’s House, according to official sources.
Shehbaz also received Kakar on his arrival at the Prime Minister’s House on August 14 last year. Kakar has left the Prime Minister’s House but will continue to perform his duties as Prime Minister until the announcement of the country’s new CEO. He was allotted a house in the minister’s enclave.
