Shehbaz Sharif is set to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the second time – Dainik Savera Times

Islamabad. Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif will be elected as the country’s next prime minister today to lead a coalition government after a fractured mandate in last month’s elections. Shahbaz, the joint candidate of PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), submitted his nomination on Saturday. His rival Omar Ayub Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has also filed his nomination papers. PML-N president Shehbaz (72) is the younger brother of former three-time Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (74). Surprising everyone, Nawaz Sharif has supported Shehbaz to lead the alliance. Nawaz Sharif, who returned from London in October last year to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the fourth consecutive time, has decided not to contest the election for the post of Prime Minister as his party PML-N has got enough votes in the elections held on February 8 to form the government on its own. No seats available.

In this election, more than 90 independent candidates supported by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s PTI have won the maximum number of seats in the 336-member National Assembly. However, in the post-poll alliance, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Istiqam-e-Pakistan Party and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have supported the PML-N candidate, ensuring that Shehbaz Sharif easily wins. Will become the 33rd Prime Minister of the country. At the same time, Ayub does not have sufficient numerical strength. To form the government, any party needed to win 133 out of 265 seats. About 70 seats are reserved for women and minorities which are divided among the parties on a proportional basis. According to the National Assembly Secretariat, the National Assembly will vote on Sunday to elect the new prime minister. The successful candidate will be administered the oath of office at the President’s residence Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday.

In the elections held on February 8, the party led by Sharif failed to get a clear majority. However, technically it is the largest party with 75 seats out of 265.
Shahbaz led a coalition government as prime minister from April 2022 to August 2023. Apart from PPP, Shehbaz has the support of a total of 205 MPs from MQM-P, Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Balochistan Awami Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Z), Istiqam-e-Pakistan Party and National Party. The two elected members of the National Assembly from MQM-P and PPP have not yet taken oath. To become the leader of the House, Shahbaz needs 169 votes in the 336-member National Assembly. At the same time, the PTI-backed opposition has 102 MPs, out of which one member has not taken the oath. Meanwhile, Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam and Balochistan National Party (Mengal) may boycott the elections. So far 304 MPs have taken oath while the Election Commission of Pakistan has so far put on hold the notification of 23 reserved seats for women and minorities.