Shehbaz Sharif Elected as Pakistan’s New Prime Minister Amidst Protests and Allegations of Rigging
In a dramatic turn of events, Shehbaz Sharif has been elected as Pakistan’s new prime minister for the second time. The announcement came amidst protests and allegations of rigging from the allies of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan. The National Assembly was filled with chaos as Khan’s supporters shouted in protest, claiming that the election was rigged.
Shehbaz Sharif, the brother of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, secured 201 votes, defeating Omar Ayub of the Sunni Ittehad Council who received 92 votes. Sharif only needed 169 votes to secure a majority. Ayub was backed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI), but they were unable to gather enough seats to form a government on their own. The PTI refused to hold talks with their rivals to form a coalition.
After days of negotiations, Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party and his supporters formed an alliance following the February 8 election. The election was marred by militant violence, a nationwide mobile phone shutdown, Khan’s exclusion from the vote, and an unusual delay in announcing the result. The delay drew criticism from Khan’s party, who claimed that the vote was rigged to prevent them from gaining a majority. However, the Election Commission denies these allegations.
In his acceptance speech, Sharif addressed the allegations of political victimization in the past, stating that he never sought revenge. He accused Khan’s supporters of attacking military installations during protests against his ouster in 2022. Sharif emphasized that it would be up to parliament and the courts to decide whether those involved in the attacks deserved a pardon.
Despite offering reconciliation to the opposition and expressing his desire to work for the betterment of Pakistan, Sharif was met with more protests and shouts. Some lawmakers stood in front of him, shouting insults and accusing him of being a “vote thief.” Sharif denounced their actions, stating that they were causing chaos in parliament and urged them to present their evidence of vote rigging to the relevant authorities.
Sharif also spoke about repairing ties with the United States, which have been strained since Khan accused the U.S., Sharif, and the Pakistani military of conspiring to keep him out of office. He acknowledged that the economic situation is the biggest challenge his government faces, as Pakistan has been relying on foreign loans to run the economy. Additionally, his government must address issues such as militant attacks, relations with Afghanistan, infrastructure development, and power outages. Political stability is also crucial, as Khan’s party has vowed to continue protests against the alleged vote rigging.
Omar Ayub, who lost to Sharif in the election, commended Imran Khan for his bravery in facing the cases against him. He denounced the arrest of thousands of Khan’s supporters last year and repeated the allegations of vote rigging. Ayub demanded a probe into last month’s poll, claiming that PTI votes were tampered with and stolen to prevent their party from forming a government.
In a surprising move, Khan wrote a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), urging them to link any talks with Islamabad to an audit of February’s election. This comes just days before the IMF releases a key installment of a bailout loan to Pakistan. The country has been relying on bailouts from the IMF, China, and Saudi Arabia to avoid default. Sharif criticized Khan’s move and stated that he plans to seek a new IMF bailout after the current one expires in March.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was among the first to congratulate Sharif on his election as Pakistan’s prime minister. This highlights the importance of China-Pakistan relations and China’s continued support for Pakistan.
As Shehbaz Sharif prepares to be sworn in as the new prime minister, he faces numerous challenges. Rebuilding trust, addressing economic issues, and maintaining political stability will be key priorities for his government. Only time will tell how he navigates these challenges and leads Pakistan into the future.