Shehbaz Sharif becomes Pakistan’s Prime Minister for a second time

Shehbaz Sharif led a coalition government on Sunday, taking office as Pakistan’s prime minister for the second time. The opposition had campaigned for him and he easily gained a majority in the recently elected Parliament.

As the joint nominee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Shehbaz, 72, garnered 201 votes, which was 32 more than needed to take the House leadership position in the 336-member Parliament.

92 votes were cast in favor of Shehbaz’s opponent, Omar Ayub Khan of the imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The new parliament met in a fracas and with politicians supported by the PTI shouting slogans. The oath of office will be given to Shehbaz in the Presidential house, Aiwan-e-Sadr, on Monday.

Shehbaz was prime minister before of a coalition government from April 2022 to August 2023 before Parliament was dissolved to hold general elections.