ISLAMABAD, Apr 10: Pakistan’s Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif today nominated himself for the post of Prime Minister after the ouster of Imran Khan, whose party threatened to withdraw its lawmakers from Parliament if the former Punjab Chief Minister was allowed to contest the election for the top post tomorrow.
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The process of electing the new leader of the House began today after Khan was removed from office through a no-confidence vote, becoming the first premier in the country’s history to be sent home after losing the trust of the House.
The joint Opposition – a rainbow of socialist, liberal and radically religious parties – has nominated 70-year-old Sharif for the Premier’s post while ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was named by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as its candidate.
The nomination papers of Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president have been accepted by the National Assembly Secretariat after objections raised by the PTI were rejected.
Qureshi’s nomination papers were also accepted.
Senior PTI leader Babar Awan challenged Sharif’s candidature, saying that the PML-N chief faced several court cases.
Meanwhile, the PTI has decided to withdraw its lawmakers from the National Assembly and launch a movement against the new upcoming Government, which is likely to be headed by Sharif, who has served as the Chief Minister of Punjab three times.
“The core committee has recommended to Imran Khan that we should resign from the assemblies. We are starting from the National Assembly. If our objections against Shehbaz Sharif’s nomination papers are not [entertained], we will submit the resignations tomorrow,” PTI leader and former Minister Fawad Chaudhry told reporters after the party held a core committee meeting at the residence of Khan.
Khan’s successor will be elected in the National Assembly tomorrow and a special session has been summoned. In the House of 342, the winner would need 172 votes to become the new Prime Minister.
On Sunday, the Opposition had mustered 174 votes to ouster Khan.
Sharif is expected to be elected the new Leader of the House.
In 2019, the National Accountability Bureau had arrested Shehbaz and his son, Hamza Sharif, accusing them of money laundering.
It will be a real challenge for Sharif to shepherd the motley herd that also includes four independent candidates and allow Parliament to complete its five-year term that will end in August next year. (PTI)
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