After Sharif’s Ouster, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Elected as Pakistan PM

Ruling party stalwart and interim PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is expected to win.

Pakistan’s premier-designate Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, right, leaves with his aids after meeting with politicians in Parliament house in Islamabad, Pakistan

(Photo: AP)

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a staunch supporter of Nawaz Sharif, was elected Prime Minister on Tuesday by Pakistan's National Assembly. Abbasi also put up a strong defence of the ousted leader saying that he may have been disqualified by the Supreme Court, but remains the "people's premier".

Abbasi, 58, was elected after getting 221 votes in the House of 342, defeating his three rivals emphatically.

Naveed Qamar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) got 47 votes, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, an Awami Muslim League leader who was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's candidate, got 33 votes, while Jamaat-e-Islami's Sahibzada Tariqullah managed just four votes.

“Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been declared as elected Prime minister of Islamabad Republic of Pakistan,” National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced amid sloganeering.

Abbasi, while addressing Parliament after the voting, said that his election was a victory for democracy.

He heavily criticised the Supreme Court judgement which disqualified Sharif.

Sharif has been sent home but he is still people’s premier. Justice demands that 1,000 guilty are set free than one innocent is convicted.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Abbasi will be sworn-in in later at a special ceremony at the President's House, where President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to him.

Also Read: Pakistan Opposition Chooses Sheikh Rashid as PM Candidate

The Supreme Court on Friday disqualified 67-year-old Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for ‘dishonesty’ and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing him to resign.

The National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, was then summoned by President Mamnon Hussain to elect the new leader of the house.

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) had nominated Abbasi as interim Prime Minister until Sharif's brother Shehbaz is eligible. Pakistan has seen such arrangements in the past too.

During former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf’s time, politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was appointed as an interim Prime Minister until Shaukat Aziz, who was nominated by Musharraf, got elected by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q).

Also Read: Panamagate: Nawaz’s Brother Shehbaz Sharif Named Next Pakistan PM

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