Shehbaz Sharif is set to be sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan today, on Monday, with the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for 3 pm. President Dr. Arif Alvi will administer the oath at the event, for which all preparations have been completed, and guests have received invitations.
On Sunday, Shehbaz Sharif, the President of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), secured his position as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan with 201 votes. His opponent, Omer Ayub Khan, supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), received 92 votes, as announced by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
The election process for the Prime Minister took place in the National Assembly with open voting, unlike the secret ballot used for electing the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. In this transparent voting process, according to the National Assembly’s rules, the candidates stand and are counted by the Speaker.
Shehbaz Sharif was the candidate of a coalition consisting of multiple parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party. His candidacy resulted from a power-sharing agreement between his party, PML-N, and PPP following the general elections.
In the current National Assembly, independent members, some of whom are backed by PTI, form the largest group with 101 seats. They are followed by PML-N with 75 seats and PPP with 54 seats. Many independent candidates elected to the house have aligned with the SIC to be recognized as a distinct party in the Assembly, a move that could help them secure reserved seats.
The swearing-in of Shehbaz Sharif marks a significant change in Pakistan’s political landscape, and the ceremony today is a key event in confirming the country’s leadership transition.
