Shahbaz Sharif Becomes Pakistan’s 23rd Prime Minister

Web Desk — Former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, president of Pakistan’s Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was elected prime minister by the National Assembly on Monday. This comes after Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was ejected as premier over the weekend following a no-trust vote.

The development came after PTI lawmakers announced mass resignations and boycotted the session, paving the way for Shehbaz to secure 174 votes, the same number he obtained from the no-trust motion against Khan.

Ayaz Sadiq presided over the session after Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri also resigned from his post as deputy speaker.

In an address to the Parliament, Shehbaz declared it was the first time in Pakistan’s history that a no-confidence motion against a PM had been successful, adding that “good triumphed over evil”.

Today is a “big day” for Pakistan because a “selected” premier has been removed from office legally and constitutionally.

He thanked the Supreme Court for burying the doctrine of necessity forever.

Shehbaz said the former government claimed to have received the “threat letter” on March 7, but opposition decisions had been taken way before then.

According to him, if what the previous government claimed is a lie, then the matter should be disclosed publicly.

Shehbaz said that the parliament’s security committee would receive an in-camera briefing on the “threat letter” in the presence of armed forces personnel, bureaucrats, as well as the ambassador who wrote it.

“If any evidence exists that we were being backed by foreign conspirators, then I will resign from the office of prime minister,” Shehbaz said.