Pakistan’s parliamentary opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif has been selected the new prime minister following the departure of Imran Khan in a no-confidence vote.
Shehbaz’s only opponent in the PM race was Shah Mahmood Qureshi, vice chairman of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
164 members of the National Assembly voted for him. However, members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) National Assembly boycotted the election. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq announced that out of 342 members of parliament, 184 voted for Sharif and his rival Mahmud Shah Qureshi received no votes.
Earlier, members of the party’s National Assembly, led by PTI’s prime ministerial candidate Shah Mahmood Qureshi, boycotted the session and announced their resignation, Dawn reported.
Shehbaz Sharif is the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan. He will remain in power until October 2023, after which new elections will be held in Pakistan.
Earlier, on April 9, Imran Khan lost his prime ministership in a no-confidence vote in the Pakistani parliament. The BBC reports that the no-confidence vote was held after midnight on April 9 after the National Assembly session was adjourned several times throughout the day. Out of 342 members of the National Assembly, 164 members voted against him.
In the history of Pakistan, no elected Prime Minister has ever completed his term. And for the first time in Pakistan’s history, a prime minister has been ousted by a no-confidence vote.