Pakistan News Updates: PM Modi congratulates Shehbaz Sharif on becoming Pak Prime Minister

Moments after Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan, PM Narendra Modi congratulated him on Monday. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, PM Modi highlighted how India desires peace and stability in a region free of terror so that there could be a focus on development challenges, and the well-being and prosperity of the people could be ensured. 

Shehbaz Sharif has taken oath as 23rd PM of Pakistan after being elected unanimously by the national assembly.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's swearing-in ceremony will take place at 9.30 PM (IST). He was elected as the leader of the House unopposed earlier today.

In his maiden speech in the National Assembly as the prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif raised the minimum wage of government employees to PKR 25,000 which is applicable from April 1.

Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi might not administer the oath to new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday after the former has complained of "discomfort". The physician has examined him thoroughly and has advised him to rest for a few days.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif has been elected as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan after the unceremonious exit of Imran Khan who became the country's first premier to be ousted through a no-confidence motion. Shehbaz, who belongs to an industrialist family and is the younger brother of former three-time premier Nawaz Sharif.

Shehbaz Sharif has served three times as the Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab, which is a politically crucial province. This is the first time his party has agreed on his name for the post of PM. Read Full Story.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to address a rally in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Wednesday against "imported government". 

The Pakistan National Assembly adjourned has been adjourned. Assembly to hold next session on April 16 at 4.30 PM (IST).

Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says he wants good relations with India, but it can't be achieved without resolution of Kashmir issue.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has resigned from Pakistan National Assembly after his unceremonious exit through a no-confidence motion.

Days after Imran Khan was booted out, Shehbaz Sharif was declared the new Prime Minister of Pakistan on Monday.  Voting took place in the National Assembly of the country, in which Sharif received 174 votes, and was elected the 23rd Prime Minister unopposed. 

Shehbaz, 70, is the President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was banned by the Supreme Court in 2017 from holding public office and subsequently went abroad for medical treatment after serving just a few months of a 10-year jail sentence for corruption charges. Read Full Story.

Pakistan's New Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that he will resign from his post if Imran Khan's 'foreign conspiracy' claim turns out to be true. He also said that the PTI government was kicked out by the Constitution.

After being elected as 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif thanked the almighty for saving Pakistan. 

"Today, the almighty has saved Pakistan and the 22 crore people of the country. This is the first time when the vote of no-confidence motion was successfully passed. The people of this country will celebrate this day," Sharif said.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Shehbaz Sharif declared new Pakistan Prime Minister with 174 votes. Ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was also in the race, received zero votes.

The next Prime Minister of Pakistan to be announced shortly after Imran Khan's dramatic ouster. The Opposition’s joint candidate and PML-N chief Shahbaz Sharif is likely to be elected unopposed as PTI MNAs have boycotted the session.

Governor of Sindh Province Imran Ismail has announced that he will resign from his post. He is from Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The Voting process to elect a new Prime Minister begins in Pakistan National Assembly. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi are in the race to become the new premier.

Proceedings for the election of Leader of the House (Prime Minister) begin in the National Assembly. PML_N's Ayaz Sadiq is on the chair of the speaker.

PTI members walk out of the session to elect the new prime minister. Qureshi says although he was the PTI's candidate for the prime minister, he announces to boycott the election, reports Pakistan's Samaa

Shah Mahmood Qureshi addresses Pakistan National Assembly as PTI chooses to boycott PM elections.

Islamabad High Court rejected a petition seeking restrain on Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz Shahbaz Sharif’s Prime Ministerial candidature.

The crucial National Assembly session begins to elect the new Prime Minister of Pakistan. Opposition candidate and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi are in the race to become the new premier.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri explained his rationale behind his controversial ruling to dismiss the no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan on April 3.

"The ruling was declared unconstitutional by the court ... and we all are obliged to respect the court. But I want to tell you the reason behind my ruling," he said, adding that he had taken the decision "as a responsible Pakistani and deputy speaker of the NA".

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Members of National Assembly (MNAs) submit their resignations to Additional Secretary General PTI Amir Kayani.

PML(N) president and Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif arrived for the joint opposition meeting in the Parliament House in Islamabad.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter and PML(N) vice president Maryam Nawaz has reached the National Assembly. She will witness the election of her uncle Shehbaz Sharif as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan. 

Taking to Twitter, former Pakistan Minister Fawad Chaudhry announced, "Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentary Committee has decided to resign from the National Assembly. Today, all members of the Assembly are submitting their resignations to the Speaker. We will fight for freedom."

Former Pakistan Minister Farrukh Habib announced that the PTI Parliamentary Party had decided to resign from the National Assembly. He stressed, "We do not accept this imported government". 

Giving details about the meeting of the PTI Parliamentary Party chaired by Imran Khan, senator Faisal Javed Khan revealed, "After lengthy consultations with the parliamentary party, the authority to resign from the assembly was given to Chairman Imran Khan". 

The Islamabad High Court dismissed a plea seeking an investigation into the diplomatic cable sent by Pakistan's envoy to the US on March 7, registration of a treason case against Imran Khan and others and their names to be added to the Exit Control List. Maintaining that it is contrary to public interest and national security to make diplomatic cables controversial, Chief Justice Athar Minallah stated that even the National Security Committee deemed that no probe was required. The court imposed a cost of Rs.1 lakh on the petitioner.

After Shehbaz Sharif is elected as the Pakistan PM, he will take oath as the Prime Minister today itself. As per reports, Pakistan President Arif Alvi will administer him the oath of office and secrecy at 8.30 pm. 

The joint opposition withdrew its no-confidence motion against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Mahmood Khan. The opposition parties were expected to table the no-confidence motion against Khan in the state Assembly today. 

The main meeting of the United Parliamentary Party of the United Opposition will be held at 1.30 pm today, PML(N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb announced. This meeting will take place in committee room number two of the National Assembly. 

In a big development, PTI Members of the National Assembly were directed to attend the session for the election of the new Prime Minister and vote in favour of the party's candidate Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Writing to PTI parliamentarians, the party's secretary general Asad Umar asked them to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Party at 12.30 pm today. Moreover, he warned that the MNAs will be liable to disqualification if they fail to abide by these instructions.

PML(N) leader Attaullah Tarar claimed that the Federal Investigation Agency has barred 6 key aides of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from travelling abroad without permission. They are: 
1. PM’s former principal secretary Azam Khan
2. Ex-special assistant to PM on political communication Shahbaz Gill
3. Ex-adviser to PM on interior and accountability Shahzad Akbar
4. Director-General Anti Curption Punjab Gohar Nafees
5. DG Federal Investigation Agency Punjab Zone ll Muhammad Rizwan
6. PTI’s head of social media Dr. Arsalan Khalid

A bench of the Islamabad High Court led by Chief Justice Athar Minallah reserved order on a plea filed by Maulvi Iqbal Haider demanding an investigation into the 'secret letter' which PTI touted as proof of the conspiracy to topple its government. While hearing another plea filed by Haider seeking a bar on Imran Khan and his Cabinet Ministers from travelling abroad, the CJ observed that Imran Khan should not be compared with Musharraf as he was an elected PM. 

The filing of the chargesheet against Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz in an alleged money laundering case postponed was postponed. The hearing was held in the special Federal Investigation Agency court. Shehbaz Sharif's lawyer sought another date for the hearing as he has to go for Umrah in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the bail granted to Shehbaz Sharif will continue until the next date of hearing, i.e April 27. 

"Chowkidar chor hai”, a slogan first raised in India by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the last general election, has now reached Pakistan. The same slogan was also heard during a rally addressed by AML chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in Punjab which was attended by people who were protesting against Imran Khan's ouster as the Pakistan PM.

Sharing an old video of Imran Khan, PML(N) leader Ishaq Dar said, "What Imran Niazi used to say in October 2018 and now in 2022 he is doing the exact opposite. While teaching the supremacy of the constitution, now it has come down to breaking the constitution. 

PTI has decided to launch a countrywide protest campaign from April 13 against the removal of its government and the formation of the incoming government which will be headed by Shehbaz Sharif. Speaking to the media, PTI leader and former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, "We are going to start a nationwide campaign from Wednesday from Peshawar". 

Speaking to the media, PML(N) MP Ahsan Iqbal assured that the issue of the secret letter raised by PTI would be thoroughly investigated. The letter was in fact a diplomatic cable sent by Pakistan's ambassador to the US on March 7 which quoted US diplomat Donald Lu as saying, "A vote of confidence is coming and if that succeeds all mistakes of Pakistan will be forgiven, otherwise, Pakistan has to face dire consequences". Imran Khan and PTI accused the opposition of being in cahoots with the US to bring about a regime change in Pakistan. 

Hailing the people of Pakistan for protesting in favour of PTI, Imran Khan said, "Thank you to all Pakistanis for their amazing outpouring of support and emotions to protest against US-backed regime change abetted by local Mir Jafars to bring into power a coterie of pliable crooks all out on bail. Shows Pakistanis at home & abroad have emphatically rejected this". 

On March 8, a delegation of parliamentarians including PML(N)'s Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq and Marriyum Aurangzeb and Shazia Marri of PPP submitted the no-trust motion with the country's National Assembly secretariat. Reportedly, the document was signed by more than 100 lawmakers even as only 68 members, i.e 20% of the total House strength of 342 were required to sign the motion. Along with this, they also handed over a requisition for summoning the National Assembly as it was not in session. To topple the Imran Khan-led government, the opposition required at least 172 out of 342 votes. 

The opposition’s discontent stems from the 2018 General Election in Pakistan that was allegedly rigged before and on the counting day at the behest of the military establishment. For instance, just a few days before the election, former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz who were leading the campaign for civilian supremacy were sentenced by an Accountability court on charges of corruption. Moreover, polling agents of various parties were reportedly thrown out during the counting process, thus casting doubts on the legitimacy of Khan’s Tehreek-I-Insaf party.

Since then, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other leaders have called Khan as ‘selected’, hinting at the role of the Pakistani military in rigging the election. The opposition parties have also been riled by the fact that Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau has been regularly arresting its leaders. Moreover, the Imran Khan-led government is facing a huge backlash from across the political spectrum over the surging inflation, increasing debt, purported misgovernance and mishandling of foreign policy which is reflected in the stalling of CPEC projects and US president Joe Biden's snub. 

Facing a tough test of survival in the no-confidence motion, Khan first talked about the 'foreign conspiracy' to dislodge his government. At his massive rally in Islamabad on March 27, he waved a letter as proof. On the occasion, he also hinted that former PM and PML(N) supremo Nawaz Sharif was a part of this plot and that he was holding secret meetings in London. After the opposition questioned the authenticity of his claims, Khan showed the 'secret letter' to his Cabinet members and allies and gave a gist of the same to select journalists on March 30.

The letter referred to by Imran Khan was a diplomatic cable sent by former Pakistan's envoy to the US, Asad Majeed Khan, to Islamabad on March 7. The latter, who has been replaced by Ambassador Masood Khan, shared details about his meeting with US diplomat Donald Lu. He reportedly contended that the decision to visit Russia on the eve of the invasion was Imran Khan's call and not that of the military establishment. The letter also quoted him as saying, "A vote of confidence is coming and if that succeeds all mistakes of Pakistan will be forgiven, otherwise, Pakistan has to face dire consequences". 

Pakistan plunged into a constitutional crisis on April 3 as National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan without voting. The PTI-led government was facing an imminent defeat with the opposition garnering the support of more than 172 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) even without taking into consideration the rebel PTI parliamentarians. In his detailed ruling, Suri claimed that the no-confidence motion is linked to the efforts of a foreign country to bring about a change of government in Pakistan.

In a televised address immediately after the rejection of the no-trust motion, Imran Khan revealed that he had advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly to pave way for fresh elections. Subsequently, Alvi accepted this recommendation and asked Imran Khan to continue in office until a caretaker PM is appointed. However, the Pakistan Supreme Court took cognizance of this matter, issued notice and made it clear that the steps taken by Khan, Alvi and Suri would be subject to the court’s final verdict. 

On April 7, a 5-judge bench of the SC unanimously held that Suri's decision to disallow the no-trust motion was unconstitutional and restored the National Assembly. Moreover, it directed Speaker Asad Qaiser to convene the session for the vote of no-confidence latest by 10.30 am on Saturday. Plugging every possible loophole, it also specified that the session cannot be adjourned until the election for the new Prime Minister is conducted in the scenario that the opposition wins the no-trust motion. 

In what was his last address to the nation as the Pakistan PM, Imran Khan on April 8 affirmed that he will never accept an "imported government" led by the opposition. "I am upset with the Supreme Court's decision. I was upset because when the Deputy Speaker conducted the probe, the Supreme Court should have investigated it...Horse trading of leaders is going on openly. The court should have at least taken sou moto action," Khan opined, adding that he accepts the SC verdict. 

On this occasion, he contended that Pakistan has become a joke and a banana republic, Khan said, "Buying and selling (of lawmakers) is happening openly, no one is serious.. this makes me sad. Never seen horse-trading in western democracy". Praising India, he added, "India has an independent foreign policy. No superpower dares to conspire against India. No one can dictate them". Moreover, he called for massive protests across the country on Sunday evening.

After a series of twists and turns and a midnight session, the Pakistan National Assembly passed the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan in the wee hours of Sunday. The session conducted by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, after former Speaker Asad Qaiser's resignation, urged those in favour of the motion to move to the lobby on the left side to cast their vote. As per the speaker, 174 MNAs recorded their vote in favour of the motion and against Imran Khan in the assembly. The majority mark required in the 342-member assembly was 172. With this, the motion was passed.

According to the details, Abdul Akbar Chitrali of Jamaat-e-Islami did not participate in the voting. Iqbal Muhammad Ali of MQM could not attend the meeting due to illness and Ayaz Sadiq could not cast his vote due to presiding over the session. Rebel members of the PTI were present in the opposition lobby during the proceedings but did not participate in the voting. 

The new Prime Minister of Pakistan will be elected today. While PML(N) president and Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif is the opposition's candidate, PTI has named Shah Mahmood Qureshi as its nominee. However, Sharif is expected to sail through comfortably in the National Assembly session that will commence at 2.30 pm today.