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

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan's newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in on Monday, three weeks after the Feb. 8 elections.

President Arif Alvi administered the oath to Shehbaz at a ceremony at the President’s Office, state-run Pakistan Television reported.

Shehbaz, the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and president of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N, was elected to the coveted post for a second term on Sunday, securing 201 votes in a 336-member lower house or the National Assembly.

He defeated his rival Omer Ayub Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed former 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.

Pakistan went to elections on Feb. 8, which were marred by violence and rigging allegations.

Sharif previously served as premier for 16 months, from April 2022 to Aug. 2023.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, army chief Gen. Asim Munir, former Premier Nawaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari and others attended the oath-taking ceremony.

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on his reelection as Pakistan's prime minister.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday also congratulated Sharif on his election.

Xi stressed that China and Pakistan should continue their traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in all fields, jointly build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, continue to deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, so as to bring more benefits for the people of the two countries, Xinhua news reported.