PML-N's Shehbaz Sherif becomes Pakistan's 23rd PM

Islamabad: The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) or PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif was elected as the 23rd Prime Minister Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Monday. At the National Assembly, 174 members voted for Shehbaz after Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) boycotted the election, IANS reported citing Dawn.

Earlier, lawmakers of PTI staged a walked out at the Assembly, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was the party's chosen for the top post. PTI then announced that they would be resigning en masse from National Assembly in protest.

After Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri stated that his conscience was not allowing him to conduct the assembly session, PML-N's Ayaz Sadiq presided over the voting session. While declaring the results, Sadiq said that he had also chaired the session during which PML-N supremo and Shehbaz's elder brother, Nawaz Sharif, was elected as the PM.

"And today, I have the honour of chairing the session for Shehbaz Sharif's election," he said. He asked Shehbaz to move to the PM's chair.

Shehbaz said that it was the first time in Pak history that a no-confidence motion against a PM became successful. Good has prevailed over evil, he said. It is a "big day" for the nation as a "selected" PM has been sent packing in a legal and constitutional manner. The US dollar's value declining by Rs 8 signified the "happiness of the people", he said. He thanked the Supreme Court for burying the doctrine of necessity forever.