Imran Khan elected Pakistan’s 22nd Prime Minister

Islamabad : Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan was elected Pakistan’s 22nd Prime Minister by the country’s National Assembly on Friday, three weeks after his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the highest number of seats in the general election.

Khan, 65, secured 176 votes out of the total 272 cast in polling in the lower house, while his opponent Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) got 96 votes, according to National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.

The PTI chairman will be sworn in as Prime Minister on Saturday by President Mamnoon Hussain.

The announcement of Khan’s election came amid protests from opposition lawmakers who shouted slogans denouncing alleged electoral fraud during the July 25 election.

Addressing the house amid a ruckus by PML-N members and cheering by PTI legislators, a charged Khan said: “I promise my nation today that we will bring the tabdeeli (change) that this nation was starving for.

“We have to hold strict accountability in this country; the people who looted this country, I promise that I will work against them.”

“I did not climb on any dictator’s shoulders; I reached this place after struggling for 22 years. Only one leader struggled more than me and that was my hero, Jinnah.

“The money that was laundered, I will bring it back – the money that should have gone towards health, education, and water, went into people’s pockets,” said Khan, moving on to allegations of vote rigging. “I want to ask the people who are yelling here why they didn’t investigate the four constituencies that I asked for.”

“Why didn’t they investigate then? Why didn’t they hold people accountable? Why didn’t the (PML-N) government take action?”

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the third largest party in the house that joined the PML-N and others in an opposition alliance, withdrew its support for Shehbaz Sharif’s candidature as Premier, days before the election and abstained from voting, Dawn online reported.

One member of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), which contested elections under the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) banner, also abstained from voting for either candidate.

According to Geo News, among the first steps the PTI-led government aims to take is a reshuffling of the top federal and provincial bureaucracy under its first 100-day plan. The strategy was finalized in a top-level huddle attended by Khan and the senior party leadership on Thursday.

The reshuffle includes changing the chiefs of federal and provincial state institutions and officers previously appointed under political pressure.

Geo News cited sources as saying that Khan has also decided to change the heads of the Federal Board of Revenue, Railways, Pakistan International Airlines and a few other institutions.

Earlier, PTI leaders spoke about the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the creation of South Punjab province and giving greater authority to the government in Balochistan, as a part of their plan.

—IANS

Also read-

1 COMMENT

  1. Congratulations and best luck to Imran Khan for this extremely difficult task of steering his nation towards positive change !
    Many sycophants will try to flatter him to deceive for their own personal interests !
    Hope he also takes some guidance from the wise advice to his nation from the late Islamic scholar Dr Israr Ahmed sahab who was modern, knowledgeable, moderate, sincere, outspoken and pragmatic as well–available in his popular youtube speeches online !
    May God take good work from him for his mulk and to foster best brotherhood and business relations with his big brother — neighbour India !

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related Stories

Gulf Cooperation Council, Pakistan sign free trade agreement

0
ANKARA : The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said Thursday that it signed a free trade agreement with Pakistan. GCC Secretary-General Jasem al-Budaiwi and Pakistani Commerce...

Pakistan people don’t regard us as enemy: Mani Shankar Aiyar

2
NEW DELHI : Batting for resumption of dialogue with Pakistan, diplomat-turned-politician Mani Shankar Aiyar says India won’t be able to take its due lace...

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemns the attack on Christians and the burning of Churches in Pakistan

0
By Muslim Mirror Network New Delhi : Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has condemned the attack on Christians and the burning of Churches in Pakistan. In a...

Imran Khan arrested after court finds him guilty in Toshakhana case

0
ISLAMABAD : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on Saturday from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore soon after being convicted in...
By Latheef Farook November 29 marks the day when the United Nations, under pressure from US, Britain and Europe, divided Palestine and created an artificial state for imported Jews in violation of all accepted norms , laws and moral principles. The...
Siddharthnagar : A temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district was ‘purified’ with ‘gangajal’ after a visit by a Muslim MLA of the Samajwadi Party. Doomariyaganj MLA Sayeda Khatoon had on Sunday visited the Samay Mata temple at the invitation of...
New Delhi : A court here has acquitted nine accused people of all charges, including rioting, vandalism, and arson, during the 2020 Delhi riots, saying they were entitled to the benefit of the doubt. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala was...
Srinagar : After it faced flak from a section of politicians, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday defended booking under UAPA seven university students who had raised objectionable slogans after the Indian cricket team’s in the World Cup...
Varanasi : The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sought three more weeks to submit the scientific survey report of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. The survey had concluded almost a month ago and the ASI had sought extra time...