Former Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in for re-election on Monday despite opposition protests and claims that the February elections were rigged to preserve former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s seat.
Sharif, 72, is the younger brother of another Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif. The 2024 elections were supposed to be an opportunity for Nawaz. rise from the ashes He resigned in 2017 amid corruption allegations and spent several years in political exile. Nawaz Sharif enjoys the unique distinction of being Pakistan’s longest-serving prime minister, even though he never completed his three terms.
Nawaz Sharif’s return comes as Pakistan’s powerful military stands firmly against populist Islamist leader Imran Khan. started Khan will step down in April 2022 following a vote of no confidence in parliament. imprisoned and banned From politics Although some of the more than 100 corruption and wrongdoing allegations that have dogged him since his ouster are under investigation, he remains Pakistan’s most popular politician.
The military reportedly focused on Nawaz Sharif as the best chance to defeat Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, with incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif There were concerns that he would be unable to carry out his duties after a lackluster term due to growing public dissatisfaction. Accordingly, Nawaz returned from his self-imposed exile in London and declared victory After the election in early February.
The election came as a nasty surprise for Sharif and his PMLN party in the following ways: Remarkably powerful display The PTI had to field candidates as “independents” as they were denied voting by a court order. PTI leader Suspect The election was rigged to prevent one party from gaining the majority needed to form an independent government, and thousands of supporters took to the streets for weeks after the results were announced.
Like Shehbaz Sharif, PTI lawmakers and their allies continued to protest. sworn to Monday for second semester. Pakistan’s election rules require him to resign and dissolve the government in order for an election to be held, meaning he is technically returning to power rather than remaining in office after being re-elected.
Shehbaz was given the job again because Nawaz Sharif reportedly did not want to rule in a minority government. Since the PTI won the parliamentary elections by a wide margin, the PMLN had to form an organization. an uneasy alliance He worked with several other political parties to gather the votes needed for the prime minister’s position.
Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of Parliament, announced On Sunday, Sharif Shehbaz was sworn in as prime minister with 201 votes from parliament, surpassing the 169-vote threshold needed for victory and ahead of front-runner Omar Ayub, who received 92 votes. .
Ayub belongs to a party called the Sunni Ittihad Council, but was actually the PTI and its “independent” parliamentary candidate. He said the PTI was unable to form a coalition to challenge Mr Sharif’s alliance, which he claims he did not have 169 votes alone and would have had had the election not been decided.
Sharif said in his acceptance speech on Sunday that the party “has suffered political sacrifices in the past, but we never took revenge.” This was interpreted as a rebuke to the vengeful Khan, who is accused of abusing Pakistan’s judicial system to imprison political opponents.
Sharif more publicly accused Khan’s supporters of attacking military property. a riot broke out After his arrest in May last year, he suggested the government might consider pardoning the perpetrators.
“I offer you reconciliation. Let’s work together for the betterment of Pakistan,” he told his opponents.
As Sharif spoke, Khan’s supporters in parliament waved posters with his picture on them and shouted “shame!”. And “vote thieves!” There were jeers as Sharif offered peace. Mr. Sharif accused them of obstructing parliament.
Meanwhile, Ayub addressed parliament, calling Imran Khan “my mentor” and praising his “courage” in standing up to the politicized charges. He claimed that “votes were stolen” to make Sharif prime minister again and criticized Sharif’s government for arresting Khan’s supporters after the demonstrations.
Mr Ayub said Mr Sharif would never be able to “win hearts and minds” in Pakistan because he “came to power through fraudulent votes”.
Immediately after taking office, Mr. Sharif ordered Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bossar to facilitate bailout negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).Sharif Negotiated During his previous term, he received a $3 billion loan from the IMF, which expired in April.
clan chief I have written letter He wrote to the IMF from prison last week, asking the international fund to withhold some funds from Pakistan until a full audit of the disputed 2024 elections is completed. The letter sparked a bitter feud between Khan’s supporters and opponents, accusing the jailed former prime minister of interfering in the country’s fiscal arrangements.
