Pakistan Parliament to elect new PM today; Shehbaz Sharif front-runner after Imran Khan's ouster

Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, had led a bid by the opposition in parliament to topple Imran Khan.

File Photo (Reuters)

New Delhi: After Imran Khan's ouster, the National Assembly session to elect the new prime minister of Pakistan will convene today (April 11, 2022). Nomination papers of Pakistan joint opposition candidate Shehbaz Sharif and PTI's Shah Mahmood Qureshi have been approved for the top seat's election which is slated to take place in the afternoon. 

Shehbaz Sharif, who led a bid by the opposition in parliament to topple Imran Khan, is widely expected to replace him.

Khan on Sunday had become the first Pakistani prime minister to be ousted by a no-confidence vote. The cricketer-turned-politician had clung on for almost a week after a united opposition first tried to remove him, but his government fell in the early hours of Sunday after a 13-hour session. Opposition parties were able to secure 174 votes in the 342-member house for the no-confidence motion, giving them the majority they needed to enable Monday's vote to elect a new premier.

Khan, however, has alleged that a foreign conspiracy was behind the regime change.

Shehbaz Sharif meets Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto ahead of crucial Parliament session

Shehbaz Sharif, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the younger brother of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, met former president Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday to discuss the current political situation in the country.

I also cannot forget Salman Rafique, Kamran Michael, Miftah Ismael & Qamarul Islam whose steadfastness & sacrifices in the face of the brutal Niazi-NAB nexus have been legendary. They did not allow any pressure to dent their loyalty and commitment to the party and Pakistan. — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 10, 2022

According to reports, 70-year-old Sharif is likely to form a coalition government and give some of the key ministries to PPP.

Supporters of Imran Khan stage protest across Pakistan against his ouster

Members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took out rallies in several cities of Pakistan on Sunday to protest the ouster of Imran Khan. Protest rallies were organised in cities like Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, Malakand, Multan Khanewal, Khyber, Jhang and Quetta, with demonstrators shouting slogans against the Opposition.

Never have such crowds come out so spontaneously and in such numbers in our history, rejecting the imported govt led by crooks. pic.twitter.com/YWrvD1u8MM — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 10, 2022

Earlier on Sunday, Khan repeated allegations that a foreign conspiracy was behind the regime change.

"Pakistan became an independent state in 1947; but the freedom struggle begins again today against a foreign conspiracy of regime change. It is always the people of the country who defend their sovereignty & democracy," he tweeted.

Pakistan became an independent state in 1947; but the freedom struggle begins again today against a foreign conspiracy of regime change. It is always the people of the country who defend their sovereignty & democracy. — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 10, 2022

In an attempt to galvanise his supporters, he said "it is always the people who protected their own sovereignty and democracy."

(With agency inputs)