Current:Home > ContactShehbaz Sharif elected Pakistan's prime minister as Imran Khan's followers allege victory was "stolen" -StockPrime
Shehbaz Sharif elected Pakistan's prime minister as Imran Khan's followers allege victory was "stolen"
View
Date:2025-04-17 00:02:30
Lawmakers in Pakistan's National Assembly on Sunday elected Shehbaz Sharif as the country's new prime minister for the second time as allies of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan in parliament shouted in protest, alleging rigging in last month's election.
Khan is currently serving prison terms in multiple cases and has been barred from seeking or holding office. Sharif replaced him as prime minister after his ouster in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Sharif secured 201 votes, defeating Omar Ayub of the Sunni Ittehad Council who got 92 votes. The winner only needs 169 votes to get a majority.
Ayub was backed by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, whose candidates could not get enough seats to form a government on their own. The PTI refused to hold talks with its rivals to form a coalition.
Following days of negotiations, Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League party and his supporters formed an alliance after the Feb. 8 election, which was overshadowed by militant violence, a nationwide mobile phone shutdown, Khan's exclusion from the vote, and an unusual delay in announcing the result.
Authorities said cutting communications was necessary to avoid attacks on candidates and security forces.
However, the delay drew criticism from Khan's party, which insists the vote was rigged to stop it from getting a majority. The party claims it has evidence that its victory "was stolen during the vote count," a charge the Election Commission denies.
Sharif, in his acceptance speech in parliament Sunday, said: "We were subjected to political victimization in the past but never took any revenge." Without naming Khan, he said the previous ruler jailed many political rivals, including himself and his ally Asif Ali Zardari.
He also accused Khan's supporters of attacking military installations while protesting his ouster in 2022, adding that now parliament and the courts would decide whether those involved in attacking the military installations deserved a pardon.
Holding portraits of Khan, some lawmakers stood in front of Sharif when he began his speech, shouting "vote thief" and "shame." Sharif denounced their actions, saying they were causing chaos in parliament. He also said they should present their evidence of vote rigging to the relevant authorities.
Sharif then addressed the opposition saying, "I am offering you reconciliation. Let us sit together to work for the betterment of Pakistan." But he was greeted with more protests and shouts.
The premier also spoke of repairing ties with the United States. Relations between the two countries have been strained after Khan accused the U.S., Sharif and the Pakistani military of conspiring to keep him out of office, following his ouster.
The premier also spoke of repairing ties with the United States. Relations between the two countries have been strained after Khan accused the U.S., Sharif and the Pakistani military of conspiring to keep him out of office, following his ouster.
Sharif also said his biggest challenge was the economic situation as Pakistan has been relying on foreign loans to run the economy. His government faces multiple issues, including how to respond to a surge in militant attacks, improve relations with the neighboring, Taliban-run Afghanistan, repair crumbling infrastructure, and resolve year-round power outages. It must also maintain political stability as Khan's party has vowed to continue protests against the alleged vote-rigging.
After losing to Sharif, Ayub addressed the parliament, commending "my leader" Khan for his "bravery" while facing the cases against him. He denounced the arrest of "thousands of Khan's supporters" last year after they took to the streets following his ouster.
Ayub repeated the allegations of vote rigging and demanded a probe into last month's poll. He said PTI votes were tampered with and "votes were stolen" to stop Khan's party from forming a government.
He said Sharif can rule the country but "he cannot win hearts and minds because he came to power through a rigged vote."
Last week, Khan wrote a letter to the International Monetary Fund, urging it to link any talks with Islamabad to an audit of February's election. Khan's move, which Sharif criticized in his speech, comes days before the IMF releases a key installment of a bailout loan to Pakistan.
Pakistan has been relying on bailouts to prop up its foreign exchange reserves and avoid default, with the IMF and wealthy allies like China and Saudi Arabia financing the country to the tune of billions of dollars. Under his previous term as prime minister, Sharif had to struggle for months to get a $3 billion bailout from the IMF.
The new prime minister has said he will seek a new IMF bailout after the end of March when the current one expires.
He is due to be sworn in on Monday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was among the first to congratulate Sharif on his election as Pakistan's prime minister, the official Xinhua news agency reported Sunday
- In:
- Pakistan
veryGood! (52269)
Related
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- When startups become workhorses, not unicorns
- Banks’ Vows to Restrict Loans for Arctic Oil and Gas Development May Be Largely Symbolic
- A Key Nomination for Biden’s Climate Agenda Advances to the Full Senate
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- These could be some of the reasons DeSantis hasn't announced a presidential run (yet)
- Hiring cools as employers added 209,000 jobs in June
- Texas Justices Hand Exxon Setback in California Climate Cases
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: This $360 Backpack Is on Sale for $79 and It Comes in 8 Colors
Ranking
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Elon Musk says he will resign as Twitter CEO once he finds a replacement
- The blizzard is just one reason behind the operational meltdown at Southwest Airlines
- Southern Charm Star Taylor Ann Green's Brother Worth Dead at 36
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Lily-Rose Depp Shows Her Blossoming Love for Girlfriend 070 Shake During NYC Outing
- Amid blockbuster decisions on affirmative action, student loan relief and free speech, Supreme Court's term sees Roberts back on top
- Warming Trends: Asian Carp Hate ‘80s Rock, Beekeeping to Restore a Mountain Top and a Lot of Reasons to Go Vegan
Recommendation
Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
Q&A: A Sustainable Transportation Advocate Explains Why Bikes and Buses, Not Cars, Should Be the Norm
Renewable Energy’s Booming, But Still Falling Far Short of Climate Goals
Fox News' Sean Hannity says he knew all along Trump lost the election
Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
Tori Bowie’s Olympic Teammates Share Their Scary Childbirth Stories After Her Death
Tired of Wells That Threaten Residents’ Health, a Small California Town Takes on the Oil Industry
Can shark repellents avoid your becoming shark food?