ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The National Assembly of Pakistan elected PML-N backed candidate Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for the post of Leader of the House who consequently took oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan on Tuesday evening.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was designated for the post as prime minister by the PML-N leadership. PML-N retained two-third majority in National Assembly despite of disqualification of its party President and former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif who was sent home by Supreme Court of Pakistan.
مسلم لیگ ن کے MNAs کو خراج تحسین ،
جنہوں نے ثابت کر دیا کہ جماعت کیا ھوتی ھے، ڈسپلن کیا ھوتا ھے، نظریہ کیا ھوتا ھے اور لیڈر کیا ھوتا ھے ۔— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 1, 2017
“Despite of disqualification of party head Mian Nawaz Sharif, a media trial of party for four years and a series of conspiracy the party faced, parliamentarians of PML-N stood with leader ship and no defection within the party was seen in results of election for PM slot. Shahid Abbasi got 221 votes, Naveed Qamar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) got 47 votes, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf got 33 while Jamaat-e-Islami got only four votes”, said senior journalist and anchorperson Iftikhar Ahmed when he was asked to comment on political situation in Pakistan. He added that political change came through parliament and within the parliament and it showed that political maturity of parliamentarians.
It may be mentioned that former Nawaz Sharif left his charge as Prime Minister of Pakistan after hearing the verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan that ordered his disqualification in Panama Papers Case on Friday July 28, 2017. His cabinet was dissolved and Pakistan remained without any government for four days. New Prime Minister would announce his cabinet on August 2, 2017.
Out of the 27 prime ministers who served the country since 1947, 22 were elected by the National Assembly while five had served as caretakers.
Shahid Khaqan bhi Nawaz Sharif hai ….. Nawaz Sharif ka har sipahi Nawaz Sharif hai… Kis kis Nawaz Sharif ko roko ge ? pic.twitter.com/47a6a1xkeo
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 1, 2017
After independence, country’s first prime minister was Liaquat Ali Khan who was appointed by the Governor General in 1947.
During the years 1951 to 1958, Khawaja Nazimuddin, Muhammad Ali Bogra, Chaudhry Mohammed Ali, Hussain Shaheed Suharwardy, Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar and Malik Firoz Khan Noon served in the office of prime minister of Pakistan.
The office of the chief executive of the country was abolished during December 20, 1971 to August 14, 1973.
After a year, seven months and 25 days, former president Yahya Khan, appointed Nurul Amin as 8th prime minister in 1971.
Under new constitution of 1973, the post was recreated and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto became prime minister on August 14, 1973.
The post was again abolished during July 5, 1977 to March 24 1985 (for about 8 years) after late general Zia Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq became the chief martial law administrator.
Muhammad Khan Junejo served as the tenth elected prime minister on the basis of non-party based elections in 1985. But the post was again held in abeyance during May 29, 1988 to December 2, 1988.
Then, Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto became the first woman prime minister of Pakistan in the general elections of 1988 followed by Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in 1990.
Both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif each held the position for two non-consecutive terms between 1988 and 1999.
Mir Zafrullah Khan Jamali, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Shaukat Aziz, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also served during the period till 2013.
Muhammad Nawaz Sharif also became the thrice elected prime minister in the general elections during June 2013 and became the longest serving prime minister in the history of Pakistan.
Mian Muhammad Soomor served as the longest time serving caretaker prime minister whereas Balakh Sher Mazari as the shortest serving caretaker.
Moin Qureshi, Malik Miraj Khalid and Hazar Khan Khoso also served as caretaker prime ministers.
Congratulations 2 newly elected PM Abbasi sb. PMLN upholds the test of democracy.. shows NS commitment 2 strengthening of democratic process
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 1, 2017
