On Monday, more than 100 MPs loyal to Pakistan’s deposed prime minister Imran Khan resigned, giving new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a problem as he seeks to pull his country out of political and economic turmoil.
Sharif, 70, was elected prime minister by parliament on Monday, ending a week-long constitutional crisis that climaxed on Sunday when Khan, 69, lost a no-confidence vote in parliament.
His exit from power provoked public protests and a mass resignation of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party’s MPs in protest of the upcoming government change.
If the speaker accepts the resignations, Pakistan would be forced to hold more than 100 by-elections in less than two months, creating a big distraction for Sharif and his coalition partners as well as a potential platform for Khan to rally his supporters.
As a result, the nuclear-armed nation of 220 million people may remain vulnerable to political and economic turmoil.
Domestically, Sharif is known as a capable administrator rather than a politician. Nawaz Sharif, the three-time Prime Minister of Pakistan, is his younger brother. L2N2W70HM
Shehbaz, unlike Nawaz, has friendly connections with Pakistan’s military, which usually controls foreign and defence policy, according to analysts.
Following Monday’s election, Sharif promised to address the country’s economic woes, which have seen the rupee plummet to new lows and the central bank enact the largest interest rate hike in decades last week.
‘If we are to save the sinking ship, we must all work hard and unite, unite, unite,’ he told lawmakers.
‘Today marks the start of a new age of development.’
He took the oath of office late Monday at Pakistan’s presidential house, in front of a crowd of parliamentarians and opposition leaders.
Post Your Comments