ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was sworn in as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister at a simple but dignified ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Wednesday afternoon.
President Asif Zardari administered the oath to the new prime minister. A crowd of government officials, military officers, and diplomatic representatives was present at the ceremony at the Presidency.
Following the oath-taking, the caretaker government at the centre stood dissolved.
Earlier in the day, Nawaz Sharif was elected as the 27th Prime Minister of Pakistan on Wednesday, becoming the first person in the country’s history to assume the office for a third time.
Nawaz secured 244 votes to become the country’s new prime minister, whereas Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who were also in the run for the post, bagged 42 and 31 votes respectively.
In his maiden address to the newly elected National Assembly‚ Nawaz said time had begun for politics of principles and not of power. He said that the PML-N had embraced the process of change by leaving the field open for PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The prime minister said the process was also observed in Balochistan where PML-N vacated the field for the representatives of the people of the province. He moreover said his government’s priority would be to give the country a solid infrastructure, bring in economic reforms and tackle corruption.
The 14th National Assembly met today to pick up its 27th Leader of the House. Four more newly elected Members of National Assembly including Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman took oath by pledging loyalty to the country and the Constitution.
Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq administered oath to the newly elected members.
The election for the PM was carried out through separation of the House, not the secret ballot.
The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and Qaumi Watan Party had announced unconditionally favor PML-N’s chief for the top office.
DND
