Bilawal Bhutto, Imran Hits shahbaz for 176 to become Pakistan’s Pm
Promises a captain’s innings against corruption as country ushers in new order
We have to have strict accountability in this country; the people who looted this country, I promise that I will work against them. Imran Khan, Pak PM-elect
This is the worst election in the history of Pakistan in terms of rigging and irregularities; the authorities must act against those responsible.
Shahbaz Sharif, President of PML-N
Our prime minister-elect (Imran Khan) has promised a 100-day roadmap. I want to see how he creates 10 million jobs, ends poverty.
Chairman of PPP
islamabad — Imran Khan promised “strict accountability” in his first speech in parliament as Pakistan’s 22nd prime minister on Friday as his voice drowned out opposition protesters’ chants of “unacceptable” and “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ”.
Despite winning the July 25 election, Imran had to face-off with the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, beating PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif by 176 to 96 votes in polling held in the National Assembly on Friday. Earlier, the stock market reversed a fourday losing streak and gained close to 500 points in anticipation of the PM’s formal election, expressing confidence in Imran’s promises of market reforms and economic turnaround.
Opposition parties tried to gather the numbers to upset Imran’s chances in the National Assembly vote as they formed a combined front against alleged rigging.
But cracks soon emerged in the fragile coalition, primarily over PPP’s refusal to accept Shahbaz Sharif as candidate for prime minister.
And when the PPP decided not to vote ‘on principle’, much of the local press read it as another wedge that the PTI created into the opposition. Imran also promised to hold everybody “who looted the country’s wealth… and destroyed the future of our children” accountable, and ruled out any NRO-like (National Reconciliation Ordinance) deal with politicians facing corruption charges. He was referring to the controversial 2007 ordinance issued by former president Pervez Musharraf that granted amnesty to politicians and bureaucrats accused of corruption, embezzlement and money laundering.
That settles speculation, building since the election, about a possible deal to let Nawaz off the hook yet again. Yet, now that Imran has secured the premiership, he must begin delivering on his tall promises; as so aptly reminded by Bilawal Bhutto. However successful he is in prosecuting former leaders, he will now have to create the millions of jobs, hundreds of thousands of houses, schools and hospitals just as he claimed all the way on the campaign trail.
islamabad — Pakistani lawmakers elected former cricket legend Imran Khan prime minister on Friday 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-year-old Imran 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.
Imran saw his party sweep to victory in a July 25 general election promising to fight corruption and lift millions of people out of poverty.
Pakistan has been plagued by boom-and-bust cycles and military coups since independence in 1947, as well as by militant violence in more recent years.
Imran, a firebrand nationalist, has promised to create millions of jobs and build world-class hospitals and school systems in the mainly-Muslim country of 208 million people.
Among his first challenges will be to decide whether to request an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout to ease currency pressures, or seek support from China and risk deepening Pakistan’s economic dependence on its neighbour.
“I want to thank the people and I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to bring change,” Imran, wearing a black waistcoat over traditional white shalwar kameez robes, said in a speech in parliament.
“First of all we have to do strict accountability,” Imran added. “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 Imran and disrupted his speech throughout by shouting “thief, thief Imran Khan” and “puppet”.
Imran’s election was only the second democratic transfer of power since Pakistan’s 1947 independence, and came at a time when relations with on-off ally the United States are fraying over alleged Pakistani support for militants waging war in Afghanistan. Islamabad denies aiding insurgents.
Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) holds 151 of the 342 seats in the lower chamber of parliament, short of a majority, but is expected to form a coalition government with smaller parties.
In Friday’s lower house vote, Imran garnered 176 votes to defeat Shahbaz Sharif from the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, who won 96 votes. Imran, who will be sworn in on Saturday, has yet to announce his cabinet.
His success in the election ended decades of political dominance by two dynastic powerhouses, the PML-N of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), founded and led by the Bhutto family.
But Imran will face a battle to push through his ambitious reforms and legislative agenda due to the thin majority in the National Assembly. The Senate, parliament’s upper chamber, is controlled by the opposition.
“Legislative business will be difficult for him,” said Raza Ahmad Rumi, editor of the Daily Times newspaper.
Opposition parties allege election rigging and say Imran’s path to power was made easier by the tacit
I want to thank the people and I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to bring change
Imran Khan, prime minister-elect
support of the powerful military, which has ruled Pakistan for nearly half its history. The army and Imran’s PTI deny any collusion.
“The whole nation has rejected this election,” said Shahbaz Sharif, demanding an investigation of electoral irregularities.
Murtaza Abbasi, a PML-N lawmaker, said in parliament Imran was “brought here by aliens”, a euphemism for the military. Imran shot back that he had “struggled 22 years” to become premier. “No military dictator raised me. I got here on my own.”