Change in Regime: Imran Khan Out, Shahbaz Sharif In

After successful ‘vote of no confidence’ Imran Khan has been removed from the power and the opposition party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) along with allied parties formed the coalition government in the country. The National Assembly has elected PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif as the new Leader of the House (PM), after which Shahbaz Sharif has become the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan.

With the removal of Imran Khan from PM office, Shahbaz Sharif from the United Opposition and Shah Mehmood Qureshi from the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) were the prime ministerial candidates for the new Leader of the House. However, PTI has boycotted the PM election, so Shahbaz Sharif remained the sole candidate.

Shahbaz Sharif got 174 votes in the national assembly and was picked as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan on Monday (March 11, 2022). The National Assembly in Pakistan consists of 342 members; for the PM election a single majority (172 votes) is needed.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif reached the PM House on morning, March 12, 2022 after taking oath as the Premier on Monday where he was presented a guard of honor. A well-armed contingent of the Armed Forces presented a guard of honor to the newly elected Prime Minister.

Earlier on PM voting day, while speaking at the National Assembly session, former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “We believe that in the current situation, participating in the election of the Leader of the House is tantamount to legitimize an illegitimate government, so we do not want to share this sin. Announcing the boycott of the process of election of the Prime Minister, we are also announcing our resignation from the Assembly as per the decision of the party”. Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the alliance of united opposition is unnatural, those who are united today, history shows that there is no ideological harmony among them. On this occasion, PTI members walked out of the House with chanting slogans.

On this occasion Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri refused to hold the election of the Prime Minister. He said that his conscience does not allow him to be a part of this action. Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri said that he decided to reject the ‘no-confidence motion’ as a patriotic Pakistani and as a protector and speaker of the National Assembly. He said in the Federal Cabinet, in the National Security Committee and in the Parliamentary Committee on National Security a foreign letter was discussed in which it was confirmed that the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister was a foreign conspiracy. Qasim Suri said that it was decided in the last meeting of the federal cabinet that the foreign letter should be declassified.

After being selected as Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif addressed the national assembly immediately. He said, “This is the first time in the history of the country that a ‘no-confidence motion’ was succeeded, which is the victory of truth and the defeat of falsehood. Today is a great day for the entire nation as this House has sent home to a selected Prime Minister through the Constitution and the law. On behalf of myself and millions of people, I congratulate the Supreme Court of Pakistan for declaring extra-constitutional measure null and void and for burying ‘the ideology of necessity’ for now and forever”.

PM Shahbaz Sharif denied any involvement of the opposition in conspiracy against the confiscation of the PTI government. He said, “It was shamelessly fabricated that the letter came from somewhere, which was also waved in this House, I never saw this letter. Opposition was blamed for a baseless foreign conspiracy. An in-camera briefing will be arranged on the said letter in the National Security Committee of the Parliament. If there would be any evidence that Pakistan was the victim of an external conspiracy, I testify here that I will resign from the PM’s post and go home.”

Newly elected PM criticized the policies of the former PTI government and said, “6 million people were unemployed and more than 20 million people were living below the poverty line due to bad governance of PTI. Pakistan was an exporter of wheat and sugar and currently it has become an importer”. He claimed that it is the beginning of a new era of development in the country as the government announced an increase in minimum wages. Investors are requested to raise the salaries of the employees by 10%. He assured that with good governance the country will become a haven for investors in the coming days and Pakistan will be a great nation in near future.

Foreign Policy and International Relations

PM Shahbaz Sharif said in his speech that “China is an all weather friend to Pakistan and this bond will remain forever. Pace on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project will be expedited immediately.  Hundreds and thousands of Pakistanis are living in the UK, bilateral relations have to move forward with the United Kingdom, the UK has provided funds for the provision of education in all four provinces in Pakistan. Relations with the United States must be established on an equal footing. Saudi Arabia and Turkey are friends for Pakistan in difficult times”.

He said, “Pakistan wants good relations with India but peace could not be established till Kashmir issue is resolved. India Prime Minister Modi should understand that there is poverty, unemployment, diseases on both sides, people do not get medicine, why do we want to harm ourselves and future generations in this way? Let the Kashmir issue be resolved according to the aspirations of Kashmiris”.

International Community Reaction

China

A statement issued by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan quoting the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said that “no matter how the political situation in Pakistan changes, China will continue to adhere to its unwavering friendly policy towards Pakistan”. The spokesperson said “we believe that changes in the political situation in Pakistan will not affect the overall state of Sino-Pakistani relations”.

USA

“A democratic Pakistan is important to the interests of the United States”, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement just hours after Shahbaz Sharif was elected as Prime Minister. The White House press secretary added that the United States strongly supports the rule of law and the principle of equal justice under the law. “We support the peaceful implementation of constitutional democratic principles. The United States values its long-standing cooperation with Pakistan and has always valued a prosperous and democratic Pakistan for American interests, regardless of the leadership”, Jen Psaki said in a news briefing.

Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a telephone conversation, said that he was very happy that Shahbaz Sharif was elected as Prime Minister and was sure that under his leadership Pak-Turkish brotherly relations would be further strengthened.

Afghanistan

Taliban Spokesman Inamullah Samangani in a statement said that the current political situation in Pakistan would not have any significant impact on the relations between the two countries.

PTI Resignations

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced its resignations from the National Assembly after the fall of the government and many members including Imran Khan have resigned but these resignations have not been sent to the Speaker National Assembly.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, the leader of PTI’s ally Awami Muslim League and former interior minister, has also resigned from the National Assembly. He has handed over his resignation to Imran Khan.

The PTI claimed and blamed that the opposition is involved in foreign conspiracy to remove their government. People of Pakistan are eagerly waiting for transparent investigations on said issue.