In Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif has become the 24th Prime Minister of the country. He got the support of 201 MPs in the National Assembly. According to Pakistani media ‘The Dawn’, 92 MPs voted for PTI supporter candidate Omar Ayub. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq announced the results. Shahbaz will address the Parliament shortly.
This is the second time that Shahbaz Sharif has been elected PM of Pakistan. Earlier in the year 2022, after the fall of Imran Khan’s government, Shahbaz Sharif became the Prime Minister of the country. Earlier, as soon as the Parliament session began, pro-PTI MPs were seen raising slogans of ‘Azadi’ and ‘Prisoner No. 804’ in favor of Imran Khan. In response, PML-N MPs raised slogans of ‘Long Live Nawaz’.
PML-N and PPP form alliance to form government
After the elections on 8 February, Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N and Bilawal Bhutto’s PPP party formed an alliance to gain majority. This alliance had declared Nawaz’s younger brother and former Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif as the PM candidate.
The MPs supporting Imran Khan are now part of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) party. After the approval of Imran Khan, he made Omar Ayub the PM candidate. He is the grandson of PTI General Secretary and former President Ayub Khan. Ayub Khan is the same President during whose tenure the 1965 war took place between India and Pakistan.
Imran supporters said – Shahbaz won by rigging the elections
Omar Ayub raised questions about Shahbaz’s candidature to the new Speaker of Parliament Ayaz Sadiq. He alleged that Shahbaz won because of rigging in the elections. In such a situation he cannot become Prime Minister.
Prime Minister elected in Pakistan 24 days after general elections
Let us tell you that general elections were held in Pakistan on 8 February. The results of all the seats were declared after 67 hours on 11 February. No party got majority in this. However, independent candidates supporting Imran won the maximum 93 seats.
After this, the first session of the National Assembly was called on 29 February. All the MPs took the oath of office. After this, elections for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were held in the National Assembly on 1 March. In both, candidates with PML-N support won.
After the Prime Minister is elected, presidential elections will be held in Pakistan on March 9. PML-N and PPP have jointly declared Asif Ali Zardari as their candidate. Whereas the pro-Imran SIC has made Mahmood Khan Achakzai the presidential candidate.