Shahid Khaqan Abbasi sworn in as prime minister of Pakistan

PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was sworn in as prime minister of Pakistan in an oathtaking ceremony held at President House on Tuesday. President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to Abbasi. Abbasi was elected prime minister by lawmakers in the National Assembly earlier today, bagging 221 votes to become the successor to ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif. PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar secured 47 votes, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid received 33 votes, and four MNAs voted for Jamaat-i-Islami’s Sahibzada Tariqullah during the ballot. An NA session to elect a new prime minister had been called by President Mamnoon Hussain following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Papers case on Friday, in which Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as PM after being deemed unfit to hold office. Following the SC verdict, the PML-N had agreed upon Abbasi, the former petroleum minister, as its candidate for prime minister for the interim period till the ‘permanent’ replacement could be elected. Abbasi has to eventually give way to Shahbaz Sharif, who is likely to compete for the National Assembly seat lying vacant following the ouster of his elder brother and then stand for the chief executive’s office.