Shehbaz Sharif nominated to replace Khan after successful no-confidence motion in Pakistan
Pakistan's opposition on Sunday nominated Shehbaz Sharif, brother of exiled leader and former president Nawaz Sharif, as prime ministerial candidate in the National Assembly, whose majority ousted the charismatic Imran Khan from power.
Shehbaz Sharif, president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly (lower house), is thus emerging as the next designated head of government to complete Khan's term, which was due to end in mid-2023.
The hitherto ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is now in opposition, has nominated Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was until yesterday the foreign minister in the PTI government and defended Khan until the last minute.
"Shehbaz Sharif has submitted his nomination papers on behalf of the joint opposition to the speaker and Shah Mahmood Qureshi submitted the papers for the PTI," Khalid Hussain, a member of the parliamentary secretariat, told Efe.
Shehbaz Sharif is precisely the man behind the no-confidence motion that succeeded yesterday, with the vote of 174 lawmakers, in prematurely dethroning Khan from the premiership.
The session to vote on the new prime minister is scheduled for Monday at 11:00 am (6:00 GMT), according to the chamber.
The PML-N president already has a virtual majority after forming an alliance with the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), and the dissident Muttahida Qaumi Movement-P, which was crucial in the no-confidence motion by breaking its alliance with Khan's party.
"We will not take revenge on anyone," the Muslim League leader vowed yesterday after the results of the motion against his rival were announced.
Pakistan has reached this point after a turbulent two weeks of turmoil, which have been roiled by Khan's tactics to prevent the vote on the no-confidence motion that was originally due to take place on Sunday 3 April.
However, in the context of an alleged "international conspiracy" and referring to an article of the Constitution that demanded loyalty to the state, the vote was denied.
Khan then asked Pakistani President Arif Alvi to dissolve the lower house, to which he agreed, meaning that early elections would be held within 90 days.
However, last Thursday the Supreme Court declared the move unconstitutional and ordered a new session of Parliament to be held on 9 April to carry out the no-confidence motion, a vote that took place after midnight following a day of long speeches and continual adjournments.
The motion passed with the vote of 174 of the 342 lawmakers (at least 172 were needed), making Khan the first Pakistani head of government to be removed from office by parliament.
Khan thus followed the fate of all Pakistan's prime ministers since independence from the British empire in 1947, none of them having been able to complete their term, whether by coup, resignation or assassination.
