Gulf Today

Imran names new CABINET

Leaders greet Pakistan prime minister

- TARIQ BUTT

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, who was elected as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan on Friday, took the oath of office at a ceremony held at the presidency, Islamabad, on Saturday.

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent a congratula­tory message to Imran Khan after taking the oath of office as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, also sent similar congratula­tions to Imran Khan.

President Mamnoon Hussain administer­ed the oath. First Lady Bushra Bibi, clad in her traditiona­l burqa, also attended the ceremony and sat in the first row next to

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. Khan named his new team.

Nobody from the opposition parties attended the function although Shahbaz Sharif and Bilawal had been invited.

Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the chiefs of naval and air force chiefs were present at the ceremony along with interim Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk, Punjab Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari, Asad Umar, Chaudhry Sarwar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Shireen Mazari, Jahangir Tareen, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu. Sidhu hugged Bajwa.

Others in attendance were star cricketer Waseem Akram, singers Salman Ahmed and Abrarul Haq and actor Javed Sheikh.

After swearing-in, Imran reached the PRIME Minister’s OFICE AND was presented a guard of honour by a contingent of the Pakistan Army.

Imran will address the nation on radio and television on Sunday.

Imran was elected premier after securing 176 votes against Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) candidate Shahbaz Sharif’s 96 votes in an open ballot in the National Assembly.

In his address to the nation, Imran will announce the programme of his Government In Its irst 100 Days. HE Is likely to appeal to all political forces to co-operatefor­thegreater­goodofpaki­stan.

In the meantime, Imran appointed Azam Khan, who has previously served as thekhyberp­akhtunkhwa­chiefsecre­tary, his principal secretary. Azam Khan is A FEDERAL oficer of GRADE 21.

With Imran Khan’s swearing-in, the caretaker government headed by Nasirul Mulk stood dissolved.

 ?? Agence France-presse ?? Imran Khan takes his oath in Islamabad on Saturday.
Agence France-presse Imran Khan takes his oath in Islamabad on Saturday.

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