Shahid Khaqan Abbasi elected Prime Minister of Pakistan

International Desk: PML-N's nominee Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been elected the prime minister of Pakistan after he bagged 221 votes during the voting carried out to elect a short-term successor to the ousted prime minister, Nawaz Sharif.

Following the announcement by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in this regard on Tuesday evening, the PML-N lawmakers resorted to sloganeering in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

The National Assembly session was called by President Mamnoon Hussain following the landmark Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Papers case in which Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as PM after being deemed unfit to hold office.

Following the SC verdict, the PML-N had agreed upon Abbasi, the former petroleum minister, as its candidate for interim prime minister.

He is expected to give way for Shahbaz Sharif, who is likely to compete for the seat lying vacant following the ouster of his elder brother.

Abbasi won the election by bagging 221 votes, Syed Naveed Qamar got 47 votes, 33 members voted for Sheikh Rashid while Sahibzada Tariqullah was able to secure 4 votes.
Addressing the lower house soon after becoming the prime minister, Abbasi said: "I am grateful to you all, for following the democratic process — whether you voted for or against me."

"I am grateful to the people of Pakistan, and I am grateful to the 'people's prime minister', Nawaz Sharif," Abbasi said in his acceptance speech.

"I am also grateful to the opposition and Imran Khan, for remembering us in their daily slandering," he said.

Source: The Dawn


risingbd/Aug 1, 2017/Mukul