Shehbaz Sharif takes oath as 24th PM of Pakistan

Shehbaz Sharif, President of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), was sworn in as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan in a ceremony presided over by President Arif Alvi at Aiwan-e-Sadar. The event was attended by various dignitaries including caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and Chief Ministers, among others. Shehbaz Sharif secured 201 votes in the National Assembly, defeating his opponent Omar Ayub Khan of the Sunni Ittehad Council who garnered 92 votes. The session, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, witnessed initial disruptions as SIC lawmakers protested holding pictures of PTI founder Imran Khan. Supported by PPP, MQM-P, and IPP, Shehbaz Sharif extended an olive branch to the opposition in his inaugural speech, emphasizing the need for a ‘Charter of Reconciliation’ to address Pakistan’s challenges.