After '22 years of struggle', Imran Khan begins new innings as Pakistan's 22nd PM

Image Credit: ANI

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, Pakistan's cricket legend, was sworn-in as the country's 22nd Prime Minister in a simple ceremony at President House in Islamabad on Saturday, a day after he won the backing from the newly-elected Parliament. 

Khan, 65, who had won a simple majority from lawmakers on Friday in a confidence vote, was administered the oath by President Mamnoon Hussain.

Islamabad: #ImranKhan takes oath as the Prime Minister of #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/nhzRqpJQ6I — ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2018

He was sworn-in nearly three weeks after the general elections took place on July 25.

#WATCH Islamabad: Imran Khan fumbles during his oath taking speech pic.twitter.com/cPsgsjwgnD

— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2018

Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, cricketer-turned-commentator Rameez Raja, legendary paceman Wasim Akram, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, singers Salman Ahmed, Abrarul Haq, actor Javaid Sheikh, former National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, Khan's wife Bushra Maneka were among those who attended the oath-taking ceremony.

Cricketer-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu was seated next to President of PoK Masood Khan at Imran Khan's oath ceremony, reported ANI.

Islamabad: Navjot Singh Sidhu was seated next to President of PoK Masood Khan at Imran Khan's oath ceremony. #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/MPrBQ9XtXD — ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2018

Sidhu was also seen giving a warm hug to Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa ahead of Imran Khan's oath-taking ceremony in Islamabad. 

#WATCH: Navjot Singh Sidhu meets Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at #ImranKhan's oath-taking ceremony in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/GU0wsSM56s — ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2018

Khan had outvoted opposition and PML-N prime ministerial candidate Shahbaz Sharif in the PM's election during the confidence vote on Friday.

In his first address to Parliament on Friday, Khan vowed to act against those who looted Pakistan.

"I promise my nation today that we will bring the tabdili (change) that this nation was starving for," Khan said.

"We have to hold strict accountability in this country; the people who looted this country, I promise that I will work against them," he vowed.

The Oxford-educated Pashtun Pathan, who launched Tehreek-e-Insaf, which means the movement for justice, in 1996, said that he reached this place after ''struggling for 22 years''.

Former Indian cricket star Navjot Singh Sidhu is among the special guests invited by Khan's team to attend the ceremony.

Khan, who famously captained the national cricket team to World Cup glory in 1992, has also invited some of his former teammates to witness his formal ascension to the top ministerial job in the country.

The PTI emerged as the single largest party with 116 seats in July 25 elections. Its number increased to 125 after nine independent members joined it and final tally reached 158 after it was allotted 28 out of 60 seats reserved for women and five out of 10 seats reserved for minorities. 

Khan's government will be the third consecutive democratic government in Pakistan since 2008 when military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf announced elections after serving as president from 2001 to 2008 following a bloodless coup in 1999.

The Pakistan Peoples Party formed the government in 2008, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led by jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2013.

Pakistan's powerful military has ruled the country through various coups for nearly half of the country's history since independence in 1947. 

(With Agency inputs)