Pakistan PM Imran Khan likely to address nation today, speech to focus on tackling corruption, economic woes

Imran Khan's speech is likely to focus on tackling rampant corruption and the current economic crisis.

Old pic of Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Newly sworn-in Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan would address the nation on Sunday evening, Geo News quoted sources as saying.

During the televised address to the nation, Khan is likely to elaborate on how he intends to rescue his country from the current economic crisis, tackle rampant corruption and create more job opportunities for the unemployed  Pakistani youths. Khan is also likely to reshuffle the bureaucracy and the provincial governments across Pakistan.

On Saturday, the PTI chief took oath as the 22nd Prime Minister of the country at the President House in Islamabad. 

He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain.

The ceremony was attended by former cricketer and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, legendary pacer Wasim Akram, top officials from the Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy, among a host of other high-profile dignitaries. 

The ceremony was also graced by his third wife and spiritual healer Bushra Maneka.

In a major victory on Friday, Khan was elected as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan by the lawmakers of the National Assembly during the confidence vote. He defeated his rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Shahbaz Sharif. Bilawal Zardari's Pakistan People's Party abstained from voting due to lack of consensus over Shahbaz Sharif's candidature for the top post. 

While the 65-year-old cricketer-turned-politician bagged 176 seats, Sharif, the PML-N president and the brother of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, managed to secure just 96 seats, The Dawn reported.

After being elected as the Prime Minister, Khan pledged to bring a change, which according to him "the country was waiting for the last 70 years." 

He assured to identify the people accountable for "looting the country."

Recounting his journey of 22 years from a cricketer to a politician, the 65-year-old leader asserted that no "military dictator nurtured him and had reached this height with his own struggle and accord." 

Interestingly, Khan fumbled while taking oath as the PM and said 'sorry' for mispronouncing certain words during his speech.  

(With ANI inputs)