#WhatTheFAQ: Who is the new Prime Minister of Pakistan and how did he come to power?

Political turmoil in Pakistan that overthrows the sitting Prime Minister has almost become a cyclic occurrence. We take a look at what stumped Prime Minister Imran Khan this time
Pic: Edexlive
Pic: Edexlive

Pakistan has a new Prime Minister. Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the 23rd Prime Minister of the country on Monday, April 11. This came after his predecessor Imran Khan failed a no-confidence motion in the country's Parliament. We break down how things came to this point and take a look at who the new Premier of the country is.

1. Why did Imran Khan face a no-confidence motion?
The World Cup-winning former captain of the Pakistan cricket team was elected to the post of Prime Minister after general elections in Pakistan in 2018 from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. His term was peppered with controversies, with critics flaying him for failing to revive the economy after COVID-19 and the rising allegations of corruption in the country. This year, Khan lost the majority in the Parliament, when his coalition government came crumbling down. He tried to stall the ensuing no-confidence vote by dissolving the Parliament but was blocked by the Supreme Court of the country. With 172 votes out of the 342 members of Parliament, it was 174 members who voted to oust Khan, signing him up for the list of Pakistan Prime Ministers who have not completed their term in office. Spoiler alert! None of the 22, including him, have.

2. Who is his successor?
Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif (known as Shehbaz Sharif) is the President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He also happens to be the younger brother of three-time former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif. He is 70 years old and was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Punjab. He became the leader of the PML-N after his brother Nawaz Sharif was ousted from the post, following the revelations of the Panama Papers. He had been the Leader of Opposition in the Parliament since 2018.

3. Is he coming in with a clean slate?
Not quite. Sharif has against his name a huge money laundering case, along with his two sons, since November 2020. Yesterday morning, hours before he was due to take oath as the Prime Minister, the Supreme Court deferred his indictment in the case to April 27 and has also increased the duration of his anticipatory bail. 

4. What plans does he have for Pakistan?
Announcements for an increase in pensions, salaries and minimum wages of labourers were made in Sharif's first speech as the new PM. He also said that he will ensure the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project is completed without any further delays. He mentioned India and Kashmir and said that good relations with India are dependent on the solution of the "Kashmir issue", which he said he will pursue in accordance with the United Nations' resolutions.

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