Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Nawaz Sharif would take oath as 27th prime minister today (Wednesday).
He will be the country’s first ever premier for a third time. According to details, the National Assembly Secretariat has declared the nomination papers of all three candidates correct.
He won the prime minister’s slot by securing 244 votes. PTI’s Javed Hashmi secured 31 votes and Amin Fahim of PPP won 44. Nawaz became prime minister by securing a two-thirds majority.
NOMINATION
The candidates are PPPP’s Amin Fahim, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Javed Hashmi and PML-N’s Nawaz Sharif.
Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers were filed by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Sadruddin Shah, Ibadatullah, Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Anusha Rehman. Whereas the papers of Javed Hashmi were filed by Dr Arif Alvi and Ghulam Sarwar Khan.
It will not be a secret balloting and the House would be divided into two lobbies and the members would be asked to go to their respective lobbies.
The session of the National Assembly would start at 11am followed by few speeches by the lawmakers. At 12:30 to 1pm polling is likely to start and announcement of results at around 3:30 to 4pm is expected.
Preparations have been finalised in the Prime Minister’s House to welcome the new premier. He would be given a guard of honor.
The Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Qaumi Watan Party have announced to cast their votes in favour of Nawaz Sharif. It is likely that PPPP will withdraw the name of Amin Fahim.
After the oath-taking ceremony, the PM would thank the House, followed by speeches of felicitations by the parliamentary leaders of various political parties.
Later on the House would decide the leader of the opposition. The PPPP and PTI are contesting for this slot.
Talking to reporters at Parliament House, PML-N leader Senator Ishaq Dar said that it would be great to have the new prime minister with consensus of the House, adding that if not it would still add beauty to the process of democracy.
THIRD TIME’S A CHARM
After surviving a military coup, a seven-year exile to Saudi Arabia and a government dismissal, third time lucky chief of PML-N returns to power today. Nawaz Sharif secured majority in the May 11 elections making him the only leader to assume power for the third time amid hopes and promises that he will steer the country out of crisis.
During his campaign for the May 11 elections, 62-year-old Sharif had vowed that his party would turn Pakistan into a new, modern and developed country if the people voted it to power. The PML-N chief has also been vocal on the issue of Balochistan and missing persons. He supports friendly relations with India and opposes the United States’ policy on drone strikes.
Calling terrorism a challenge for the country, the PML-N chief is also in favour of peace talks with the Taliban.
In his recent interviews and press conferences, Sharif has repeatedly said that the first priorities of his government will be to resolve the energy crisis by reducing load-shedding and improving the country’s economy. He has also made a number of promises regarding construction of roads, motorways and airports at various places during election rallies, besides running a bullet train for the country. These pledges have led to an unprecedented rise in the stock market.
However, analysts believe that his actions should reflect the promises he made during the election campaign.
The May 11 polls see a PML-N government at the centre and in Punjab, while the party also holds a key role in the government to be elected in Balochistan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has voted for PTI whereas former ruling party PPP only managed to secure its stronghold of Sindh.
Sharif is expected to announce a roadmap to economic recovery in his inaugural speech upon being formally elected.