Shahbaz Sharif elected as 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples’ Party’s (PPP) candidate Shahbaz Sharif has been elected as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan.

The much-anticipated election for the prime minister’s post saw a head-to-head battle between Shahbaz Sharif and Omar Ayub from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) allied Sunni Ittehad Council.

Prime minister candidates battle today

The threshold for victory was set at 169 votes, with the National Assembly comprising 336 members. Shahbaz Sharif secured 201 votes, while Omar Ayub got 92 votes.

The 16th National Assembly convened at noon, albeit with a one-hour delay, under the stewardship of Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. However, the proceedings were not without their fair share of drama. As the session commenced, members of the Sunni Ittehad Council staged protests and chants in front of the speaker’s podium, while PML-N representatives rallied behind slogans of “Ghari Chor“.

The voting process unfolded with members allocated specific lobbies corresponding to their preferred candidate. Supporters of Shahbaz Sharif congregated in lobby ‘A’, while backers of Omar Ayub gathered in lobby ‘B’.

Parliamentary committee meeting underway as NA session delayed

Shahbaz Sharif’s ascent to the Prime Minister’s office marks a significant moment in Pakistan’s political landscape, with expectations high for his tenure at the helm.