ISLAMABAD: The Opposition’s joint candidate and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif Monday was elected the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan after the PTI boycotted the election and announced resignations from the National Assembly.
“Mian Shehbaz Sharif has secured 174 votes and no vote was polled for PTI’s nominee Shah Mehmood Qureshi,” Ayaz Sadiq, who was chairing the session, announced after the election process was completed.
Earlier, the PTI walked out of the NA after Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s speeches, repeating the party’s claim that the toppling of their government was a part of a “foreign conspiracy”.
Qureshi announced that they won't become part of this “conspiracy” and boycotted the session after announcing to resign en masse.
Qasim Suri chaired the NA session briefly before the party lawmakers left the house after which PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq supervised the proceedings.
Taking the floor, the newly elected prime minister Shehbaz thanked the Almighty Allah for his uncountable blessings.
He mentioned that Almighty Allah has protected the country which was also because of the hectic efforts of the leaders of the joint Opposition members.
The premier mentioned that it was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that a prime minister was ousted through the no-confidence motion.
Terming today a “historic day”, he mentioned that the happiness of the people can be seen through the economic indicators. Shehbaz mentioned that the rupee regained its value — which was trading at Rs190 per dollar and closed at Rs182 per dollar today.
“Imran Khan was the person who said that when rupee gains Re1 against the US dollar then the prime minister of the country is a corrupt person now he should see that the rupee has recovered around Rs8,” he said.
He acknowledged the Supreme Court’s “unanimous” verdict saying that the day when the apex court gave its judgment should be marked as a “historic day” in the history of Pakistan.
The newly-elected prime minister said the Opposition was discussing the no-confidence motion days before Imran Khan's "concocted threat letter controversy".
"They say that this letter came to them on March 7, but our decisions were made way before that, so, if [what the previous government claimed] is a lie, then the matter should be disclosed transparently before the public," he said.
Therefore, PM Shehbaz Sharif announced that the parliament's security committee would be given a briefing on the "threat letter" to the members of the committee in presence of the armed forces personnel and bureaucrats — the director-general Inter-Services Intelligence, foreign secretary, and the ambassador who wrote it, who has now been transferred to Brussels.
"If there's an iota of evidence that we were backed by foreign conspirators [...] then with you Mr speaker and God as my witness, I will not think for another second and resign from the office of the prime minister," PM Shehbaz Sharif said, vowing to hold an in-camera session of the security committee at the earliest.
The prime minister thanked his brother and ex-premier Nawaz Sharif for his support, while also lauding social media activists, press clubs, media houses, and lawyers for backing the Opposition's struggle for democracy.
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi, according to the president's Twitter account, complained of discomfort. Following this, "the physician has examined him thoroughly and has advised him to rest for a few days."
In absence of the president — a PTI and Imran Khan loyalist — Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani will administer the oath to the newly-elected prime minister.
Moving towards the topic of economy, the newly-elected prime minister said if Pakistan were to progress, then it needs to be self-sufficient on the financial front.
"...we will need to protect and respect the nation as neither was anyone a traitor nor are they traitors now," the prime minister said, noting if Pakistan's economy were to move forward, then, the government will have to use "dialogue" and not move towards a deadlock.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said hard work was required for Pakistan's progress as if only statements could move the country forward, then during PTI's tenure, we would have been among the leading nations.
"We will need to wash out the effects of the previous government by working together, otherwise, we will fail [...] our economy is in a bad situation right now," the prime minister said.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said the new government would take steps to make Pakistan an "investment heaven" for investors as he noted their capital would help the country move forward.
He announced that despite Punjab "being the elder brother" if all the other provinces remain behind in terms of development, then it is not Pakistan's development, it was just a single province's development.
"...this servant of Pakistan vows to make sure that Pakistan will develop and not just Punjab," Shehbaz said.
He said the government would reintroduce the Benazir Card and interlink it with the education sector in a bid to facilitate people whose children go to school.
"Our children should be equipped with great knowledge [...] we will reintroduce this programme with consultation," he said and lashed out at the PTI government for discontinuing it.
Speaking about foreign policy, Shehbaz said China has been Pakistan’s partner through thick and thin. “No one can snatch Pakistan and China's friendship from us,” he said, calling it a “long-lasting relation.”
He also reiterated that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be carried forward and the projects will move forward at a faster pace.
On relations with the United Kingdom, Shehbaz said that bilateral relations need to move forward as millions of Pakistanis live there, adding that the UK provided funding for education in all four provinces. Meanwhile, Shehbaz also maintained that relations with the US must also be established on equal grounds.
Speaking about India, the newly-elected prime minister lamented that despite them wanting peaceful ties with India, they know that until the Kashmir issue is resolved, relations between the two cannot be strengthened.
Urging Indian premier Narendra Modi to understand the issues of the people living on both sides, he questioned there is poverty, unemployment, medical issues, etc. then "why are we harming ourselves and the generations to come?"
He said Modi should come forward and resolve the Kashmir issue according to the will of the Kashmiris and reiterated that his government will continue to raise its voice for the people of Kashmir.
Qasim Suri defends ruling
Earlier, when the session started, Qasim Suri defended his ruling which declared the no-trust motion as a "foreign conspiracy" and said that he will share the letter with the chief justice.
He said that in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court, voting on the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan has been taken place and you have seen its results.
Suri said that he had made the decision as a patriotic Pakistani. He maintained that the “foreign communique” was discussed in the federal cabinet, National Security Committee and the parliamentary committee on national security and it was endorsed that the no-trust motions against Imran Khan is a foreign conspiracy.
The last federal cabinet meeting held on April 9 had decided to de-classified the “foreign communique”, he added. While holding the letter in his hand, the deputy speaker said that Pakistan is given a threat in this letter, adding that this letter is received in Pakistan before the no-confidence motion against the prime minister.
“It is clearly written in this letter that Pakistan will have to face a difficult situation if the no-confidence motion does not succeed. You will be pardoned if the motion succeeds,” the deputy speaker added.
Was it the fault of Imran Khan that he talked about the independent foreign policy and economy, he fought the case of Islamophobia in the world.
“Imran Khan is punished for not accepting slavery and talking for an independent Pakistan,” he added.
The deputy speaker said that he is sending the letter to the SC on the behalf of the NA. He maintained that he issued the April 3 ruling to thwart the foreign conspiracy aimed at changing a regime in Pakistan.
The NA Secretariat Sunday announced to accept the nomination papers of Shehbaz Sharif, candidate of the combined opposition, and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as the nominee of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). However, the PTI later announces to boycott the PM's election.
Earlier, eleven nomination papers from the opposition parties were filed in the National Assembly Secretariat for Shehbaz Sharif with no covering candidates.
Dr Babar Awan raised an objection to the nomination papers of the combined opposition’s candidate saying that Shehbaz Sharif would be the first prime minister in the world who is on bail for 10 months in corruption cases.
The National Assembly secretary asked Babar Awan not to deliver political speeches and only hand over the charges in writing to him. Qureshi, however, told the official not to interrupt the arguments of his lawyers. “The government has started rigging before the commencement of the voting process,” he said.
The National Assembly secretary, however, rejected all objections on Shehbaz Sharif’s nomination papers. PTI’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi and PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal also exchanged harsh words during the filing of papers. “You are no longer a foreign minister,” Ahsan was heard telling Qureshi, who responded aggressively saying, “You are not a candidate, please get out of the room”.
A delegation of the united opposition also reached the office of the acting National Assembly speaker where the nomination papers were being scrutinised. The raising of objection led to a heated exchange of words between both sides.
The PTI parliamentarians, Zain Qureshi, Malaika Bokhari and Aamir Dogar submitted the nomination papers of Shah Mehmood Qureshi with the Secretary National Assembly. Aamir Dogar and Ali Muhammad Khan signed the nomination papers as seconder and proposer of the PTI candidate.
Shehbaz Sharif is expected to secure 176 votes of the combined opposition. His votes would touch the figure of 200 if dissident members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decide to participate in the voting process in his favour.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly Secretariat issued the order of the day for April 11, according to which elections of the prime minister, under Article 91 of the Constitution, read with Rule 32 of Rules of Business and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, is the only item to be taken up by the House. The election of the prime minister will take place through a division of vote in the House.
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