Shehbaz Sharif elected as Pakistan’s new prime minister for 2nd term

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan's parliament on Sunday elected Shehbaz Sharif as the country’s 24th prime minister for a second term, three weeks after the Feb. 8 national vote.

Shehbaz, the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and president of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) grabbed 201 votes in the lower house or the National Assembly, 32 higher than the number required for a simple majority.

He defeated his rival Omer Ayub Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, who secured 92 votes.

A candidate requires 169 votes in a 336-member house to clinch the coveted post by a simple majority.

The junior Sharif is expected to take the oath of office on Monday.