Imran Khan says will take oath on Aug 11

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has said that he will take oath as prime minister on August 11, Radio Pakistan reported.

Talking to the newly elected members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Islamabad, he said decision regarding nomination of the chief minister will be taken soon and in the best interest of the people.

The PTI chief said alleviation of poverty from interior Sindh will be among top priorities of his government.

The party is working hard to woo independents and smaller parties to join its ranks as it lacks the number to form the government in Islamabad.

According to the final result issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), PTI emerged as the single largest political party in the National Assembly with 116 members. The 342-member National Assembly has 60 women reserved seats and 10 for minorities.

The numerical strength of the PTI in the NA may be affected if four of its leaders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa opted to retain their provincial assembly seats.

A political party is supposed to secure 137 seats of the National Assembly to get simple majority to form the government. Former chief minister Pervez Khattak won two provincial assembly seats and one in the National Assembly from Nowshera in the July 25 general election.

In the 2013 general election, he had secured one National Assembly and one provincial assembly seat. He had opted to retain the provincial assembly seat after he was nominated as the chief minister.

Though the PTI leadership has yet to decide the future chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pervez Khattak has started lobbying to get the coveted post. In a recent statement he was quoted as saying that he had been told by the PTI central leadership that he will be again be the chief minister.