Pakistan appoints new prime minister

Shahbaz Sharif, the joint candidate of the alliance led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has emerged triumphant in the National Assembly's polling, securing his position as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan.

The announcement was made by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq following the polling held on March 3, Caliber.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

Sharif, who is also the president of PML-N, garnered a substantial 201 votes out of the total 293 cast during the March 3 polling. His sole competitor, Omar Ayub Khan, a joint candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, secured 92 votes, as confirmed by the speaker.

With this election victory, Shahbaz Sharif assumes the mantle of leadership in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The speaker highlighted the significance of Sharif's support from various quarters, including PML-N, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, and other allies, all contributing to the required 169 votes for success in the 336-member National Assembly.

This development follows the formation of the new National Assembly after the general election held on February 8, 2024, where members elected Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as the speaker of the house and Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah as his deputy on March 1. The political landscape in Pakistan undergoes a significant shift with Sharif's ascendancy to the prime ministerial role.