Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N party and younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, received 174 out of 342 votes in Monday’s parliamentary vote and is set to serve as prime minister until the next general election, which is expected to be held in 2023.
All of Khan’s MPs from Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party resigned en masse in protest ahead of Monday’s vote, and snap elections are now urgently needed to replace them. After the vote, Khan called on his supporters to take to the streets. His next rally is scheduled for April 16 in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city.
In a speech to parliament ahead of his swearing-in, Sharif spoke of unity across the country, including in his coalition government.
He said he would introduce a 10 per cent increase in pensions and raise the monthly minimum wage rate to Rs 25,000 – the equivalent of US$136 a month.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sharif on Twitter post Office which added: “India desires peace and stability in a terror-free region so that we can focus on our development challenges and ensure the well-being and prosperity of our people.”
Sharif’s appointment as the 31st prime minister of Pakistan comes after widespread protests in support of Khan erupted across Pakistan late Sunday.
Tens of thousands took to the streets in key cities, including Lahore and Peshawar, to support the ousted leader. They chanted slogans against the United States – which Khan had claimed was implicated in a conspiracy against him – and the country’s powerful military, which appeared to be withdrawing its support.
Against this backdrop of political turmoil and a collapsing economy, Sharif now faces a challenging time as head of state.
Unlike Khan, Sharif has maintained friendly relations with the military and was a popular prime minister of Pakistan’s politically important and most populous province of Punjab.
He was commended for his ambitious administrative and infrastructure projects in the province, bringing advances in the educational and industrial sectors.
Sharif has been instrumental in advancing the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and has a positive relationship with Beijing.
A member of the wealthy Sharif dynasty, which amassed millions through steel production, his family was embroiled in scandal after his brother Nawaz was sentenced to 10 years in prison and a $10.5 million fine in 2018 on corruption charges.
Shehbaz Sharif dismissed the verdict, calling it “flawed” and “politically motivated”. Shehbaz Sharif is also being charged with alleged corruption.
In recent months, Sharif has led a campaign to remove Khan from Pakistan’s leader over allegations of economic mismanagement and bad governance. Along with the opposition, he had urged Khan to resign ahead of a no-confidence vote that was widely expected to see Khan sacked.
Tensions simmered for days, with Khan repeatedly dismissing criticism, instead claiming the moves against him were an attempt at regime change backed by Washington and some members of the opposition. The allegations have been denied by both the US State Department and the Pakistani opposition.
In a dramatic series of events, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament blocked the no-confidence vote against Khan. Khan then dissolved parliament and called for early elections. The opposition challenged Khan’s moves in Pakistan’s highest court, with Sharif calling them “nothing short of treason”.
The court ruled last week that blocking the no-confidence vote against Khan was unconstitutional, paving the way for Sharif’s rise to power.