Imran Khan elected Pakistan premier
He pledges to punish ‘all those who have robbed’ the country
Pakistani lawmakers elected former cricket legend Imran Khan prime minister yesterday and he pledged to bring to justice “all those who have robbed this country” through corruption.
Parliament’s move cleared the way for the 65-yearold Khan to set up a coalition government and his first major task will be to avert a brewing economic crisis after his party swept to election victory on July 25.
Khan, a firebrand nationalist, has promised to create millions of jobs and build world-class hospitals and school systems in the mainlyMuslim country of 208 million people.
“First of all we have to do strict accountability,” Khan, said in a combative speech in parliament. “Those who have robbed this country, I will hold each and every one of you accountable.” In a sign of Pakistan’s bitter political divisions, opposition lawmakers surrounded Khan and disrupted his speech throughout by shouting “thief, thief Imran Khan” and “puppet”.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI) party holds 151 of the 342 seats in the lower chamber of parliament, short of a majority, but is expected to form a coalition government. In yesterday’s lower house vote, Khan garnered 176 votes to defeat Shehbaz Sharif from the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, who won 96 votes. Khan, who will be sworn in today, has yet to announce his cabinet.
I want to thank the people and I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to bring change. First of all we have to do strict accountability.”
Imran Khan | Pakistan PM
Imran Khan won a lawmaker vote yesterday to secure Pakistan’s premiership, after his Movement for Justice party pulled together a coalition majority since gaining the most seats at last month’s national elections.
The Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) party chairman will take oath of office today and become Pakistan’s 22nd prime minister. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the third largest party in the House that joined the PML-N and others in an opposition alliance, withdrew its support from Sharif’s candidacy for premier days before the election and abstained from voting.
One member of the Jamaati-Islami (JI), which contested elections under the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) banner, also abstained from voting for either candidate.
Khan, 65, was elected by 176 votes compared to the 96 of his opposition rival Shahbaz Sharif of the PML-N. The former cricket star’s ascent became certain after PPP, the third largest group, abstained from the vote and declined to back Sharif’s candidacy, despite both parties claiming rigging and military manipulation at the July 25 ballot. Khan pledged to investigate the charges and the army has consistently denied the allegations.
Khan will now have to focus on Pakistan’s rapidly deteriorating finances, as the US continues to pressure the nucleararmed nation over its alleged support for insurgent groups. It is only the second successful, consecutive transfer of power between civilian governments in a country that has been ruled directly by the military for almost half its 71-year existence.
Promises to keep
After galvanising voters, particularly Pakistan’s large young electorate, Khan’s PTI has made promises to both expand social spending, while attempting to fix the economy and rebuild the nation’s depleted finances. Despite forming a majority with the support of independents and several smaller parties, Khan’s ability to govern and push through reforms will continue to be tested. “Even within the PTI-led government, extensive horse-trading is likely needed to get policies passed,” Fitch Solutions said in a report last week. “We are sceptical regarding the new government’s ability to fulfil its campaign promises given its weak margin of victory and resource constraints.”
Khan’s party has already flagged that urgency is needed to deal with Pakistan’s dwindling reserves, which have dropped at the fastest pace in Asia this year, to $10.4 billion (Dh38.16 billion). The nation’s current-account deficit has widened by 42 per cent to $18 billion in the year through June.
Asad Umar, a senior PTI lawmaker and the incoming finance minister, said in an interview this month that Pakistan may need more than $12 billion to plug the finance gap and a decision on where to source funds from needs to be made by September at the latest. Many investors, analysts and politicians expect that most or part of that will come from an IMF bailout.