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Shahbaz Sharif was sworn in as Pakistan’s new prime minister on Monday, following a no-confidence vote ousting Imran Khan.
Sharif was elected by the nation’s parliament earlier within the day. He was the only candidate after solely different rival — Khan loyalist Shah Mahmood Qureshi — withdrew and resigned his seat.
What path would possibly the brand new PM take?
The brand new premier introduced a sequence of populist measures, together with a brand new minimal wage of 25,000 rupees (some €124 or $135). He additionally promised pay rises for civil servants and improvement initiatives for rural areas.
Sharif urged higher relations with neighbor India, whereas stressing that an answer nonetheless wanted to be discovered for Kashmir — the territory on the coronary heart of many years of dispute between the 2 nuclear powers.
He additionally promised to sort out an financial droop that has seen the rupee at an all-time low, and a serious hike in rates of interest.
“It is a victory of righteousness, and evil has been defeated,” Sharif mentioned in his maiden speech as premier, underlining the acrimonious political battle that culminated in his election.
Sharif, 70, was the favourite to win following the nation’s weeklong constitutional disaster. He’s the youthful brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who served thrice within the position.
Sharif additionally known as for higher relations with the US upon his choice as prime minister. Sharif’s remarks got here because the US Division of State denied accusations of interference in Pakistan’s inner affairs following accusations by ousted prime minister Khan.
What occurred in parliament?
The decrease home of parliament convened Monday afternoon to pick out Pakistan’s prime minister, following Sunday’s no-confidence vote, which eliminated former Prime Minister Imran Khan from energy.
Shahbaz Sharif led the united opposition motion to power the ouster of Khan, a former cricket star who alleged a Washington-driven plot to topple him. The US has denied Khan’s allegations.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khan’s celebration, submitted the previous international minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi as its candidate to exchange Khan as prime minister.
Members of the celebration resigned en masse when Qureshi was not named new prime minister. Their resignations would require the necessity for elections for his or her seats.
Supporters of Khan and his PTI celebration held giant rallies in Karachi on Sunday, protesting the vote of no-confidence towards him
Sharif was the one contender following the walkout of the greater than 100 members of parliament from Khan’s celebration and was elected with 174 votes.
Following his win, Sharif mentioned Pakistan is headed for the most important finances and commerce deficit in its historical past.
Who’s Shahbaz Sharif?
Shahbaz Sharif’s brother Nawaz was banned from holding public workplace in 2017 by Pakistan’s Supreme Court docket. He subsequently left the nation for medical therapy after serving only some months of a 10-year jail sentence on corruption costs.
Pakistan’s Nationwide Accountability Bureau seized nearly two dozen properties from Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza, accusing them of cash laundering, in 2019.
In September 2020 he was arrested and held for six months however launched on bail whereas awaiting trial, which remains to be pending.
How has Khan reacted since his ouster?
After the no-confidence vote, Khan remained defiant, writing on Twitter, “The liberty wrestle begins once more at this time towards a international conspiracy of regime change.”
He later confirmed photos of his supporters within the streets who he mentioned have been out on the streets “rejecting the imported authorities led by crooks.”
Hundreds demonstrated and blocked roads in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar, chanting anti-US slogans and towards opposition events.
What’s the bigger context of the present political tumult?
No prime minister has accomplished a time period in workplace since Pakistan turned an impartial nation in 1947. Nevertheless, Khan turned the primary to be eliminated by a no-confidence vote.
Pakistan’s army has dominated the nuclear-armed nation’s politics for greater than half of the almost 75 years since independence.
In 2018, when Khan was elected, the army institution authorised.
The army’s approval of Khan waned although together with his appointment of a army intelligence chief and financial woes that noticed the most important rate of interest hikes in many years final week.
rc, ar/fb (AFP, Reuters)
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